July 2016 - Ben's new favorite, both the book and listening to the audio version in the car (we probably listened to it 10-15 times in the four hours of our road trip that Ben was awake). He especially loves the "dooby dooby BOING" and "fa la la la BOING" at the end.

Cute book for early pre-schoolers. Very little text but explanation and a cute story is presented through pictures.

"I liked the book because it was on a farm with animals. My favorite part was the songs!" --Isaac, age 5

I thought that this was a very cute children's picture book in that it brings the kid's imagination. In the book it shows how all of the farm animals start singing and practicing their talents at night so that the farmer doesn't see them. That make the children thing what could be going on outside of their own little world. There are also very few words and there are a lot of sounds in the book so it is a good book for beginner readers.

Summary: This book is about Farmer Brown's animals entering a talent show. They all practice songs and dances to perform in order to win first prize which is a trampoline. At the end, Duck wins by singing Born to be Wild.

Review: I love this book and I think it's a great resource to use in the classroom to encourage kids to branch out and do fun, creative things. This book is wonderful with a humorous storyline. The students will love to listen to this book and make predictions of what's to happen next.

Books: Two other books that can pair with this book are Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman and Click, Clack, Moo by Doreen Cronin.

Quote: "Inside the barn, night after night, the animals rehearsed."

A way to use it as a mentor text: This book can really be used to discuss teamwork, trying new things and setting goals for yourself. Practicing and working towards something you want!

Parents need to know that there's nothing offensive about this rollicking picture book.

This is from commonsensemedia.org




Booklist (August 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 22))

cpg1252 PreS-Gr. 3. When Duck reads about an upcoming talent show at the county fair ("1st prize: A TRAMPOLINE"), he organizes the animals on Farmer Brown's farm into nightly rehearsals. On Saturday evening, suspecting that the animals are up to something and reluctant to leave them alone for long, the farmer loads them all into the back of his pickup. They sneak off to the contest and wow the judges with stellar performances such as Duck's "QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUUAAAAAACKK" ("Born to Be Wild"). The clever, deadpan story is fun, but the droll illustrations, strong strokes of black lines washed with watercolors, ratchet the comedy up a notch or two. Like the other books in the series that began with the Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type0 (2000), this amusing picture book makes a terrific read-aloud choice. Parents and teachers will find it well suited to sing-along storytimes.



Horn Book (Spring 2007)

Farmer Brown's animals, led by Duck, sneak around Farmer Brown to enter the talent show at the county fair in hopes of winning first prize, a trampoline. The predictable story is enhanced by Lewin's energetic, loose watercolor illustrations. Cronin's rhythmic text is well paced and full of funny small details.



Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2006)

Those self-actualized animals down at Farmer Brown's return for a welcome new caper. Their leader, Duck-who reads the farmer's newspaper daily-notes that the upcoming county fair will feature a talent show. Bent on first prize (a "slightly used" trampoline), he directs the cows' rehearsals of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," the sheep on "Home on the Range" and the pigs' slumber-inducing interpretive dance. Since Farmer Brown can't trust this crafty herd, he loads them into the truck, parks and heads off for the fair's free barbecue. The animals-naturally-enter the contest and perform, with decidedly mixed results, and it's Duck who once more brings home the bacon. When Farmer Brown resumes snooping outside the barn that night, he hears "Dooby, dooby BOING! Fa la, la, la BOING! Whacka, whacka BOING." Yet again, Lewin's watercolors delightfully extend Cronin's text. Her gestural black brushstrokes enliven everything from a bristly welcome mat to the animals' clandestinely pleased expressions as their duped farmer crowds them into the fair-bound truck. (Duck, of course, rides shotgun.) Great fun. (Picture book. 3-7)



Library Media Connection (February 2007)

The cows, duck, and Farmer Brown of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (Simon & Schuster, 2000) fame are back again in a hilarious, new adventure. In the newest tale, the farm animals decide to enter a talent contest at the county fair in hope of winning first prize, a trampoline. The cows decide to sing, the sheep decide to sing, the pigs decide to do an interpretive dance, and duck directs. Once again, Farmer Brown hears strange noises coming from the barn each night as the farm animals practice their act and he knows the farm animals are up to something. But what? Like the earlier titles, this is a book that children and adults will enjoy giggling over together. The lively text and energetic watercolor illustrations are highly engaging and entertaining. For a rollicking and raucous barnyard story time, pair this read-aloud with Margie Palatini's Moo Who? (HarperCollins, 2004) or Elizabeth Winthrop's Dumpy La Rue (Henry Holt & Company, 2001), which was also illustrated by Betsy Lewin. Highly Recommended. Kristi Boyd, Library Media Specialist, White River Elementary School, Noblesville, Indiana



Publishers Weekly (June 19, 2006)

What do you get when a bunch of farm animals decide to enter a talent contest to win... a trampoline? Sounds like the latest joke at the watercooler, but it's just Cronin and Lewin (of Click, Clack, Moo fame) at it again, with an off-the-wall tale poised to deliver giggles galore. Here they reprise their bovine beauties crooning à la Sinatra. But they are not the only contestants of the barnyard persuasion: the pigs practice an interpretive dance and Duck belts out his rendition of "Born to Be Wild" in performances sure to amuse young and adult readers alike. While children will enjoy the pure silliness of singing animals alone, older readers will appreciate Cronin's tongue-in-cheek asides, such as the footnote about the trampoline being "slightly used," along with a legal disclaimer. Lewin's expansive brush strokes pay further tribute to this tall tale of animals that sing and dance behind closed barn doors. By story's end, the animals have returned to their regular routines, except for the extra "boing" in their song-whose source comes clear in Lewin's closing image of the animals enjoying the well-earned prize. Fans will hope for many more farmyard adventures from this dynamic duo. Ages 3-7. (Aug.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.



School Library Journal (August 1, 2006)

K-Gr 3-When Duck discovers an ad in the paper announcing a talent show at the county fair (first prize, a slightly used trampoline), Farmer Brown's animals are unstoppable. The cows and sheep concentrate on their singing while the pigs work on interpretive dance. How the suspicious farmer could ever confuse all this noise with routine snoring is a bit of a stretch, but the hilarious late-night practice scenes inside the barn will help readers make the leap. At the talent show, the cows and sheep impress some of the judges, but lack of sleep has the pigs truly snoring when it is time to perform. Fortunately, Duck steps in to save the day with a winning version of "Born to Be Wild." After the talent show, Farmer Brown suspects nothing until he hears "boings" coming from the barn. Comical watercolor illustrations provide the punch lines to many jokes within the well-paced text. Some of the sophisticated humor will go over the heads of most children, especially the witty footnotes that pepper the story. However, like Click, Clack, Moo (2000) and Giggle, Giggle, Quack (2002, both S & S), this story makes a great read-aloud, and fans of the series will be ecstatic to see another episode of mischief in the barnyard.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Cute kids story! Was hoping for George Guidall as the narrator (he's awesome) but got Randy Travis instead on the audio download. If you have kids who love farm animals, this one's for you! 4 out of 10.

I'm decided that I don't really like these books. I think the relationship between the animals and the farmer is supposed to be playful, but I just read it as antagonistic.

All of the farmers animals enter a talent show. They are so excited to win a trampoline. It's fun to sing songs to the tune of the animals sounds. This is a delightful read. I think that kids will think it is pretty funny!

Colorful, and fun. Its a good book to get kids to use their imagination. The edition I own is a board book so it would be good for smaller hands that might not be so gentle, so they can experience holding and looking at a book on their own.

Author: Doreen Cronin

Genre: Fictional picture book

Publication Info: Atheneum (2006)

Reading Level: Early-Transitional; Ages 4-8

Topic/Theme: Agriculture/ Music and singing

Issues Addressed: This book offers a challenge to stereotypical view of a farm. Although, the farmer wears his straw hat with hay sticking out of his mouth, the animals are spontaneous and fun.

Classroom Uses: Read Aloud (could incorporate musical instruments), Readers Theatre

Summary: The animals on the farm find out about a talent show. Farmer Brown does not suspect a thing whenever they are practicing in the middle of the night. The cows practice Twinkle Little Star (in moo of course), while the sheep and duck practice as well. They end up going to the talent show and the judges are amazed. Duck ends up winning the prize (trampoline) by singing Born to be Wild (in quack of course).

Text and image: The images are masterfully drawn in watercolor. The pictures are beautiful and offer a comical attribute to the text.

Literary Devices: personification (animals on farm), onomatopoeia (boing, quack,moo)

My children enjoy this series and this was no exception. If you enjoy Click Clack Moo or any of the other works from this series, this one works well. My children are excited they can now read these alone.