From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3–Hoce employs wordplay in many of these 30 selections. About a fearless hen that braves fire or killer bees, he says, "My chicken may be many things/But she surely isn't chicken." Familiar phrases, such as "holy cow," become subjects of poems; only in this barnyard, it's "Holey Cow!" that captures everyone's attention, "For when she takes a tiny step/Milk leaks everywhere." The humor is age appropriate and poems about "ants in my plants" and a hoarse horse will appeal to children who are beginning to enjoy playing with language. Making use of end rhymes, the schemes and rhythms are familiar and predictable. Some of the selections are more successful than others and several phrases, such as "on the lam" or "swan song," might need some explanation. Fernandes's watercolor illustrations are clever and energetic and, in several instances, explain the verbal jokes. This book is fun, but it's also excellentfor classroom use; a "Wordplay Guide" that indicates language skills, such as identifying homophones, personification, and idioms, is appended.–Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
