From Publishers Weekly
Sloat and Westcott, who teamed up for The Thing That Bothered Farmer Brown, offer tongue-twisting rhyme and two Farmer Brown-twisting tornadoes. As Farmer Brown completes his chores, a powerful wind sweeps him up along with all his animals. "While clouds of sheep swirled through the air,/ The clothesline chased the goat and mare/ Until each one had on a pair/ Of Farmer Brown's plaid underwear!" When the crowd crash-lands back in the barnyard, Farmer Brown discovers that something is amiss: "His cows oinked,/ The pigs moo'd,/ His sheep clucked,/ The cat coo'd." In the ensuing mayhem, sheep try to lay eggs, cows wallow in the mud and Farmer Brown crows "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" It takes the return of the twister to restore the group's proper personalities and behaviors. Sloat spins entertaining verse, and a silly mood prevails. Westcott composes cartoon voice bubbles that divulge a confused dog's "neigh" and a goat's "meow." Instead of illustrations that show the threatening storm, the whole cast suddenly appears in midair, wrapped in a swirl of white. The tornado theme may not be hilarious for Midwesterners, but if readers can handle The Wizard of Oz, this should be (ahem) a breeze. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-In this companion book to The Thing That Bothered Farmer Brown (Orchard, 1995), a twister blows in and whirls the barnyard inhabitants, including Farmer Brown, up and down and all around. Although everyone lands safely, things are not the same: the "cows oinked,/The pigs moo'd," Farmer Brown is cock-a-doodle-dooing, and the rooster is running the farm. In time, another twister blows in, returning the barnyard to its previous state. The humor, text, and visual presentation are sharper and more effective than in the first book. Bright cartoon illustrations and bouncy rhymed narration punch up the silly story. Images of pigs being milked and animals in plaid and polka-dot underwear are sure to tickle young readers. This rhythmic narration will make for a lively read-aloud. Pair it with Bernard Most's Cock-a-Doodle-Moo! (Harcourt, 1996) and score a 10 on the storytime giggle meter.
Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WICopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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