From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3–In a smoothly flowing text and pleasingly rhythmic rhymes, Spinelli describes the favorite moments of various animals and people who live on a farm. For example, The best time of day for the rooster is when/the sun rises high over barnyard and pen./He wakes up the farmer, the animals, too,/with his rowdy-dow 'Cocka-doodle-dee-doo!' The farmer's wife enjoys making breakfast for her family, their son eagerly awaits recess at school, and Granny looks forward to a five o' clock visit from her friend Gus. The watercolor cartoons are colorful and laugh-out-loud funny. Presented on appealing spreads that are expertly laid out, the illustrations are also detail oriented, giving children much to look at as they enjoy the language. This offering would work well in storytimes with a barnyard theme or for one-on-one sharing. Weed out your tired old farm stories and add this winner to your collections.
–Lisa S. Schindler, Bethpage Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS-Gr. 2. In the country and on the farm, everyone has a favorite time of day. For the rooster, it's sunrise, when "He wakes up the farmer, the animals, too, / with his rowdy-dow 'Cocka-doodle-dee-do!'" For the farmer's son, Joe, it's recess: "The bell rings--he's ready to go." As the day progresses, humans and animals alike enjoy favorite times and activities. Each spread's bouncing, rhyming text introduces diverse folks and everyday activities that kids will recognize as bright, detailed watercolor illustrations portray characters and an idyllic rural setting with cartoonlike simplicity and playful perspectives. This happy read conveys joy in simple, everyday pleasures, and speaks to the notion that we all have our own special interests and times.
Shelle RosenfeldCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
