The Hullabaloo ABC [Hardcover]

Beverly Cleary (Author), Ted Rand (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Aha! Boo! Cock-a-doodle-doo! It's morning on the farm, and there are sights and sounds galore. Donkeys are braying, pigs are grunting, cows are mooing-even the jays are jabbering! From clucks and cackles to rumbles and whoops, this rollicking alphabet book takes young readers on a barnyard romp that is chock-full of noisy words they will love to hear and say out loud. Beverly Cleary's timeless text comes to life in vibrant new illustrations by Ted Rand. Here is a book that is guaranteed to delight a whole new generation of readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As its title suggests, the energy level of this alphabet storybook runs high, thanks in part to Cleary's choice of verbs ("Flutter," "Jabber," "Rumble"), lively onomatopoeic sounds ("Kerchoo!" "Putt-putt," "Toot-toot") and animal noises ("Hee-haw," "Quack-quack") that lead off these 26 brief verses. Rand's (Knots on a Counting Rope) hearty watercolors endow the volume's clamorous crew?a spunky trio of siblings and the animal residents of their farm?with particular appeal. Ranging from panoramic views of a timeless rural setting to close-ups of kids and critters, Rand's pictures document the antic proceedings, until a thunder storm arrives and the children are summoned back to the farmhouse. Occasional lazy rhyme schemes (e.g., rips/trip; racket/whack it) and lapses in rhythm ("N for Noises,/ Clucks and cackles./ A hawk!/ It scatters the hens/ And makes them squawk") trip the tongue. Still, Cleary teaches as she tells her story, and Rand's art is consistently diverting?a winning combination in a preschool read-aloud. Ages 3-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1AGet ready for a noisy tour of the alphabet as two brothers and their sister whoop it up on the family farm. Each letter is given its own page, but unlike more conventional alphabet books, the main illustration doesn't necessarily focus on the letter's sound. For example, in the picture for "Kk for Kerchoo!/What a big sneeze!/It startles the rabbit/Nibbling the peas," the rabbit is front and center while the older brother is sneezing in the background. "Vv for Voice./Did someone call?/Quick! Up on the horse./Try not to fall" is illustrated by a picture of the girl mounting a horse. In the background, her parents stand on a porch and wave. The rhymes are busy and boisterous, and each cock-a-doodle-doo, grunt, hee-haw, moo, squeak, squawk, cluck, cackle, and shout is meant for reading aloud. While the original text illustrations on crisp white backgrounds bring the action to life with just the slightest touch of nostalgia. His attention to detail, as in the pig's self-satisfied smirk and sister's T-shirt with the alphabet printed on front and back, adds irresistible charm. Share this with your preschool crowd or recommend it to an early-childhood teacher for a unit on farm life. Either way, it's a winner.AAlicia Eames, New York City Public Schools
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; Revised edition (April 24, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688151825
• ISBN-13: 978-0688151829
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #706,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Beverly Cleary's birthday, April 12th, is celebrated across the country on D.E.A.R. Day, with activities related to the Drop Everything and Read Program. One of the most popular and honored authors of all time, Beverly Cleary has won the Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw, and both Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. She makes her home in coastal California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT, May 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hullabaloo ABC (Hardcover)

MY 2 YR OLD LOVES THIS BOOK. THE LARGE SIZE TEXT AND THE BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS KEEPS HER ATTENTIVE. EXCELLENT TEACHING TOOL! IT IS A BOOK I ENJOY, AND WE REACH FOR IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

3.0 out of 5 stars ok but could be better, March 25, 2010

By 

book lover "esahome" (TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hullabaloo ABC (Hardcover)

I love Beverly Cleary, but this is not my favorite book. It has great designs and is a fun read. The problem I had with it when I was reading it to my 3 1/2 year old is that I didn't care for all of the words she chose to represent the letters. For example, for the letter "S" which has a "ssss" sound, she chose the word "Sh-h-h." The "s" sound and the "sh" sound are two completely different sounds. (Now, I know this sounds a little critical on my part, but I also have a six-year old so we have worked on the different letter sounds and combination sounds, and I would like my younger son to learn the true sounds especially when reading an abc book.) I also didn't like that she used "exclaim" for the letter "x". If this is a true abc book, then she would have chosen an "x" word. It was a cute read (and I know many wouldn't pick on these types of examples as being bothersome), but I felt it could be better--it felt a little thrown together.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Read, April 5, 2008

By 

Joey "Joey" (Nebraska) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Hullabaloo ABC (Hardcover)

My 17-month old daughter loves to have this read to her over and over. This is a favorite author of mine and the artist has that "Norman Rockwell"-ish knack for making his illustrations appear to move on the page. Tip: Look for the hidden letters on the P and G pages! I've yet to find the rest of the alphabet.