Like the vibrant rooster on this oversize book's jacket, Meade's (Hush! A Thai Lullaby ) colored woodcut prints are so bold they seem to crow at the reader. Leaves look bigger than life, and each chicken scratch in the barnyard dust leaves a strong, black line. Elliott's (And Here's to You!) short, simple poems often seem overwhelmed by the pictures, which feature animals that stare intently at the reader, as if their morning activities were being interrupted by someone with a camera. Taking a roster of the farm residents, the poems include the occasional striking image (the pig has a tail "as coy as a ringlet"), and more frequently comment on the animals' obvious characteristics (the cow "makes milk/ standing/ grazing./ Abra-/ cada-/ bra!/ She's/ utterly/ amazing!"). As brief as they are, often just a sentence or two, the poems talk to both adults and preschoolers. A comment about the turtle's "fossil head" will be of less interest to children than the idea that "in [the turtle's] house,/ it's always night." While some illustrations are stiff and anthropomorphic, overall this old-fashioned farm stands in for an idyllic existence, a time and place where the bees "tell their story,/ sweet and old." Ages 3-5. (Mar.)
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PreS-Gr 2- Elliott looks at a rooster, a cow, a pony, a dog, sheep, a barn cat, a goat, a pig, a snake, bees, a bull, a turtle, a duck, a hen, and a rabbit in verses that are rich in vocabulary and, for the most part, written in rhyme. Large, black typeface mirrors the black lines in Meade's beautiful, color woodblock prints that superbly reflect the mood and action in the poetry. There is motion in the illustrations of the strutting, crowing rooster; the kicking hind legs of the pony; and the head-butting rams. In contrast, the artwork appropriately reflects the stillness of the grazing cows and watchful barn cat. The verses flow when read aloud and the double-page pictures can be easily seen by a group. As an extension activity, have children compare and contrast this book with Lee Bennett Hopkins's On the Farm (Little, Brown, 1991; o.p.). Elliott and Meade have crafted a picture book well worth adding to any size library collection.-Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH
Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Energetic woodcuts accompany playfully simple poems as they give young readers an engaging tour of the barnyard. From the usual suspects-rooster, cow, sheep-to some of the less celebrated denizens of the farm-snake, bees, turtle-each poem varies to suit its subject. The barn cat's verse is succinct: "Mice / had better / think twice." The snake's winds its way down the page in sinuous shape. At their best, Elliott's images are unexpected and all the more lovely: The turtle "Lifts her fossil head / and blinks / one, two, three / times in the awful light." Others are not so successful, but Meade's illustrations give them credence: The rooster "Crows and struts. / He's got feathers! / He's got guts!" This rhythmic but rather opaque assertion is accompanied by an oversized rooster who dominates the foreground; eyes shut in concentration, he levitates himself with the force of his crow-the very embodiment of "guts." Farmyard books are a dime a dozen, but this one is a worthwhile addition, for those poems that reach beyond the ordinary and for the good-natured illustrations that complement them. (Picture book/poetry. 2-5)
From an alluring cover with a rooster in full crow to its concluding, gently ironic ode to the silence of rabbits, this book will make an unusually interesting choice for farm-animal storytimes.
—The Horn Book (starred review)
Handsome…From toddlers to the youngest poets, children will delight in the fun and beauty on display here.
—Booklist (starred review)
Meade’s beautiful, color woodblock prints that superbly reflect the mood and action in the poetry.
—School Library Journal
Energetic woodcuts accompany playfully simple poems as they give young readers an engaging tour of the barnyard…a worthwhile addition.
—Kirkus Reviews
[The text is] pithy and crisply rhymed, making for easy reading and listening…Meade’s watercolored woodblock illustrations are elegant yet homely, cheerfully depicting the unpolished charm of a well-filled pigpen.
—BCCB
Like the vibrant rooster on this oversize book's jacket, Meade's colored woodcut prints are so bold they seem to crow at the reader.
—Publishers Weekly
Elliott’s verses capture a reverence for animals unfamiliar to cityfolk, and Meade’s watercolor and woodcut illustrations…are serene and beautiful.
—BookPage
Brings the entire barnyard to life.
—Playthings
David Elliott s short snappy rhymes pair perfectly with Holly Meade’s energetic woodcut watercolor illustrations.
—Antelope Valley Press
The woodblock prints and watercolors…are detailed and enchanting.
—The Capital Times
An enchantingly illustrated poetic ode to barnyard life.
—Midwest Book Review
This is one picture book that your preschooler will want read over and over again.
—Eclectic Homeschool Online
Simple and lyrical.
—Central Coast Freelance
David Elliott’s graceful, simple verse and Holly Meade’s exquisite woodcut and watercolor illustrations capture a world that is at once timeless yet disappearing from view — the world of the family farm.
—Anokaberry blog
Pleasingly simple yet verbally sophisticated verses…large, delightfully bold, animated woodcuts…begs to be read aloud.
—SLJ’s Curriculum Connections
Deliciously old-fashioned.
—Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens 2009
A delightful collection of poems that are funny, beautifully descriptive, and perfect for reading out loud.
—Through the Looking Glass Reviews
