"a natural, bouncy read-aloud, particularly for preschool groups and one-on-one lap-reading interaction."—Kirkus Reviews
"The spirited but simple rhyming text showcases the varied sounds of familiar animals, and is perfect for the toddler set. Done in oils and inks, the action-packed cartoon artwork is rich, vivid, and charming. With its large-format illustrations, repeated refrain, and irresistible farmyard sounds, this book will make a great interactive read-aloud."—School Library Journal
"From sunup to sundown, this buoyant picture book introduces animals on the farm and offers opportunities for children to chime in on the chorus. . . . The bold, simplified forms are well suited to a very young audience, particularly in a group setting. . . . An amusing romp for young children."—Booklist
Employing rhyming verse and kicky ink-and-oil paintings, Kutner (Z Is for Zombie) and Hillenbrand (Kiss the Cow) serve as guides on a boisterous barnyard tour that shines the spotlight on animal sounds and behaviors. From sunup when "Kid wakes up!" to sundown when it's "Shh! Quiet Town," a young goat romps around the farm to visit his friends-and stir up some fun. Hillenbrand depicts the kid in free-rein-fun mode, providing a visual story that playfully extends Kutner's somewhat basic concepts. While "Crows peck straw-/ Caw. Caw. Caw./ Down on the farm,/ Down on the farm," the kid can be seen tugging an old boot off the scarecrow, an item he carries with him to each new scene and that eventually becomes stuck on his head. Throughout, Hillenbrand simplifies his typical style to match Kutner's tone, showing less detail than usual. He uses thick black outlines for his animal characters and other basic background shapes, and he applies his characteristically rich textures only selectively, sometimes focusing readers' attention but sometimes creating uneven- or unpolished-looking spreads. Very young children will surely enjoy the kid's antics, as well as the energetic encouragement to quack, "nay" and gobble along with the animals here. Ages 3-6. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
PreS-K-"Sun comes up./Kid wakes up!/Down on the farm,/Down on the farm." Kid, a mischievous young goat, begins the day by startling the rooster that crows in alarm. Next, he steals the scarecrow's boot, while the "Crows peck straw-/Caw, caw, caw" and the "Horses say,/`Nay, nay, nay.'/Down on the farm." When Kid jumps into the pond, the ducks and geese quack and honk frantically. Throughout the day, the young goat's antics elicit raucous responses from all of the other animals, until the sun goes down and, finally, all is quiet. Listeners will delight in following Kid's adventures. The spirited but simple rhyming text showcases the varied sounds of familiar animals, and is perfect for the toddler set. Done in oils and inks, the action-packed cartoon artwork is rich, vivid, and charming. With its large-format illustrations, repeated refrain, and irresistible farmyard sounds, this book will make a great interactive read-aloud.-Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
The three R's-rhythm, rhyme, and repetition-are harvested abundantly in this simple, sing-song introduction to farm animals for toddlers. Horses say "nay, nay, nay," geese "kerplonk" and "honk, honk, honk," and dogs on the roof go "woof, woof, woof," presenting a straightforward peek at standard farm residents in their element. Aside from a few tiny lyrical and visual twists, it's familiar territory that overlaps Old McDonald's home turf with its elementary foundation of a "moo, moo, moo" roll-call structure designed to invite call-and-response participation from young listeners. Rhythmically, each four-line "verse" solidly hits its mark, creating a natural, bouncy read-aloud, particularly for preschool groups and one-on-one lap-reading interaction. Accompanying art is appropriately lighthearted and basic, if not overly simplistic due largely to heavy black outlines that give the flat images a slightly rudimentary, coloring-book quality that suits the text. (Picture book. 2-5)
