Farmyard Beat [Hardcover]

Lindsey Craig (Author), Marc Brown (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: June 14, 2011 | Age Range: 3 - 7 years

Author Lindsey Craig teams up with Arthur creator and bestselling artist Marc Brown in a toe-tapping farmyard dance-a-thon--perfect for toddler and preschooler read-alouds. As soon as the sun goes down, the animals are up! ("Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep. Sheep can't sleep 'cause they got that beat!") Before long, there's a giant farmyard dance party, complete with funny animal sounds. But what happens when all the racket wakes up Farmer Sue? Here's a colorful bedtime story that begs to be read aloud.

Winner OPPENHEIM BEST BOOK
Gold Award, 2011: FARMYARD BEAT

Winner WILDE AWARD
Picture Books, 2011: FARMYARD BEAT

Granite Media: BEST PRESCHOOL BOOKS 2012
Books 4 Learning: FAVORITE BEDTIME STORIES 2011

Editorial Reviews

Review

New York Times Sunday Book Review
Ever since “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” with its irritating propensity to ring in parents’ ears long after its 4-year-old targets have ceased oinking, the combination of children’s books and farmyard animals somehow inevitably invites song. Two catchy new picture books for very young readers sustain that tradition. “Farmyard Beat,” written by Lindsey Craig and illustrated in cut-out collage by Marc Brown (the pair behind “Dancing Feet!”), could be one of those books that’ve been kicking around preschool classrooms for ages. The corrugated cardboard backdrops look like something glued together by a pair of especially crafty moms at the local co-op, and the text (lyrics, really) seems like a familiar song one has already heard in off-key unison. None of that takes away from the book's considerable appeal. From the “Peep-peep-peep!” of a yellow chick peering out of its egg on the first page, through the inevitable chiming-in of an entire farm’s worth of animals, to the book’s conclusion with animals piled up in an exhausted, snoring heap, “Farmyard Beat” jauntily pulls readers along. Toddlers will need zero encouragement to participate.

By PAMELA PAUL Published: June 22, 2011 www.nytimes.com/2011/06/22/books/review/childrens-books-farmyard-beat-and-moo-mo...

Kirkus Review (May 15, 2011)
When the sun goes down, the farmyard animals are supposed to go to sleep. But wait: “Chicks can’t sleep. Chicks can’t sleep. / Chicks can’t sleep / ’cause they got the beat!”

The sheep, cat, cow and dog can’t sleep either because they’ve got the beat, too. Here comes Farmer Sue, and she can’t sleep either, so everyone dances to the beat, “T-I-L-L… / … they fall in a heap! / Asleep!” The collage art (hand-painted on corrugated-looking and other found papers) is similar to the duo’s Dancing Feet! (2010) and a total departure from Brown’s style in his Arthur books. The jazzed-up animals are shaped with textured cut-out pieces that form the assemblage, which pops against the black-and-purple striped backgrounds. Colors are largely those found in nature, though judicious use of pinks on noses, tongues and the insides of ears keep the figures from looking anything but dull; they definitely have child appeal. The story ends with the rooster (a spectacle in blue, lavender and crimson) crowing, "Cock-a-doodle-doo! / I've got the beat!"

It won't take but one or two readings before kids join right in with the syncopated fun. (Picture book. 3-6)
kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/childrens-books/lindsey-craig/farmyard-beat/


Publishers Weekly Children's Review
Farmyard Beat
Craig and Brown are again in playful sync in this rhythmic companion to Dancing Feet! (2010). Reviving the cut-paper collage style he debuted in that book, Brown demonstrates that he's mastered the medium. Hand-painted papers cut into basic geometric shapes create animals and scenes composed of a boldly contrasting amalgam of textures and patterns; his palette incorporates soft pastels, earth tones, and primary colors set against deeply hued, striped backdrops. Using bouncy repetition, Craig explains that farm animals are too busy dancing to sleep: "Chicks can't sleep./ Chicks can't sleep./ Chicks can't sleep 'cause they got that beat!" Each species has its own beat and rhyme scheme, which usually relates to the sound the animal makes, and also leads into whatever animal is next seen busting a move ("Puuurrrr! Mee-ooow!/ Puuurrrr! Mee-ooow!/ All that racket wakes up... Cow!"). Although all the animals (as well as pigtailed Farmer Sue, who comes out to investigate all the noise) eventually "fall in a heap! Asleep!" the emphasis rests squarely on the joy of exuberant, slightly mischievous dancing. A calming bedtime book this is not. Ages 1–4
reviews.publishersweekly.com/978-0-375-86455-1

About the Author

LINDSEY CRAIG lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington, with her family. Her first book, Dancing Feet!, is also available from Knopf.

MARC BROWN is the creator of Arthur, the star of many picture books and a six-time Emmy Award-winning PBS TV show. He is also the illustrator of the New York Times bestselllers Wild About Books and Born to Read by Judy Sierra as well as Buying, Training, & Caring for Your Dinosaur by Laura Rennert.

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 7 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (June 14, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375864555
• ISBN-13: 978-0375864551
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.4 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lindsey Craig grew up in a dancing and singing family. She often wakes up tapping her foot and hears music in everyday things, from honking cars to thrumming crickets. She has written a musical, and her children's play, CINDERELLA'S SHAKESPEARE, is performed nationwide. DANCING FEET! is her first foray into children's books. Her next picture book, also illustrated by Marc Brown, will be available from Knopf in the coming year. Lindsey lives with her husband and children on a small island in Washington State.


Check her facebook page, for the most recent updates on new books coming!
https://www.facebook.com/LindseyCCraig

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars grandkids are mesmerized June 22, 2011

By Laurie M.

Format:Hardcover

Loved this book! As a grandma of a 4 and 5 year old, I look for books that will create a bond of fun with me, as well as instilling a love for reading. Once again Lindsey Craig has done it. The creative repetition, rhyme, and beautiful illustratons once again have my grandchildren mesmerized.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars delightful! June 21, 2011

By happy family

Format:Hardcover

My family loved this book! It is reminiscent of Good Night Moon but with lovely repeating "fun-animal-sound-words! We loved Lindsey Craigs's first book "Dancing Feet" and now we are so happy to have the second delightful and charming sweet story that all children will love to read along with their parents. A classic!

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for bedtime. May 31, 2013

By Chris Harris

Format:Kindle Edition

Great book that is a lot of fun for bed. And a fast easy read so you can get through it in 3 minutes or stretch it out to 10.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Book May 4, 2013

By marzelline

Format:Board book|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great book. The illustrations are very unique and it is different than your typical children's book. The wording is also very fun-lots of animal noises, very creative. We have been able to use this in a wide variety of ways, made it into a song/rap, acted it out, and used it to learn about animal songs.

5.0 out of 5 stars My 8-month-old flips out when we read this book. April 20, 2013

By Mrs. Lemon

Format:Board book

This is the only board book my eight-month-old son recognizes and "requests" in his way. Other books hold his attention for a little while if they have textures or bright pictures, but being read to isn't really interesting to him yet. EXCEPT for Barnyard Beat. We tap his hands on the pages as we read, and he loves the rhythm and rhyme. When we finish reading, he pats the book himself and squeals. Now when I pull it out of the diaper bag, he beings to bounce up and down and clap his hands.

The book is easy to catch on to. If you read it out loud, you'll start to chant, almost sing the words.

A great read for even young, nonverbal babies.

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT toddler book! March 10, 2013

By Michael Wayne Brasser

Format:Board book|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the first book that I noticed our younger requesting over and over. He was about 18 months at the time. We borrowed it from the library but now have purchased our own. Very catchy and rhythmic.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great digital version January 23, 2013

By Ann Bailey Lynn

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

My 1 1/2 year old loves reading this book on my ipad, and my elementary school class loves it as well. They did an excellent job with the digital version.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! A little difficult to get used to reading January 9, 2013

By Emily G

Format:Board book|Amazon Verified Purchase

Our son LOVES this book. We borrowed it from the library and ended up getting the book. He loves to turn pages really fast so when we first started reading this book to him (over and over again), it was difficult to try to read the text before the page got flipped. The wording is sing-songy, but is a bit tongue-twisty too. We can recite the book now though. Would definitely buy again!