Old Macdonald Had A Woodshop [Hardcover]

Lisa Shulman (Author), Ashley Wolff (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

With a zztt zztt here, and a zztt zztt there,
here a zztt, there a zztt, everywhere a zztt zztt!

Together with the other farm animals, Old MacDonald is building a surprise for the babies on the farm. Saw, drill, chisel, file, screwdriver, paintbrush are operated by cat, goat, chicken, pig, cow and dog. With a swish swash here and a swish swash there, and a whole lot of other sounds, there's a miniature toy farm being made-just for the baby animals. A twist on the familiar nursery song, this is sure to be a hit with any kid who loves tools or loves to sing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This fun twist on a familiar song envisions Old MacDonald as a capable, bespectacled sheep, who's busy building something "in her shop." One by one her animal friends and neighbors drop by and take up various tools a hammer ("with a tap tap here/ and a tap tap there"), a file ("with a scritch scratch here/ and a scritch scratch there") and so on and join in on the project. Soon, the whole barnyard is busily employed until the very end when Old MacDonald unveils a scale replica masterpiece of their very own home ("and in her shop she had a farm!"). Preschoolers will want to join in the bouncy cadences and alliterative sounds of Shulman's version of the cumulative rhyme. Wolff's (the Miss Bindergarten books) bright gouache and pastel illustrations drop subtle hints to the project in process. Soft shading ratchets up the cozy factor, while such touches as gold hoop earrings and a floral apron for Old MacDonald, a chicken picking apples from a tree and a very tidy mouse who sweeps up wood shavings at the bottom of each page add character to the barnyard as well as pizzazz. Endpapers designed as a pegboard neatly display (and label) the tools used within the book (and more). Ages 2-6.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reSchool-Grade 2-A crafty ewe gathers her friends in her well-equipped workshop to saw, drill, hammer, chisel, file, screw, and paint various bits of wood. This delightful twist on the classic song (with loads of fun sound effects) is a must for do-it-yourself children. Ms. MacDonald is equally at home in her apron or her tool belt. Wolff has provided spectacles for "old" MacDonald, as white hair is not a clear age indicator on a sheep. The endpapers identify a nice variety of hand tools while the illustrations "done on Arches Cover in gouache and pastel with brown-colored pencil line" introduce a pleasing cast of characters. Full-, double-, and partial-page cartoon illustrations support the text agreeably with just enough detail to entertain without clutter. The building project-a model farm complete with barnyard animals-is unveiled on the last spread. The little mouse that endeavors to keep the shop clean throughout the process is as dear as any of the characters. Children will love this book's perky prose and pleasing pictures.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; First Edition edition (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399235965
• ISBN-13: 978-0399235962
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #281,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too CUTE!, January 29, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Old Macdonald Had A Woodshop (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book - for the mom of a two year old boy who loves animals, Old McDonald and tools - this book couldn't be better. He loves the noises, the illustration and the story. I love to see how excited he gets. A wonderful twist on Old McDonald had a Farm

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book - cute and good values, April 29, 2003

By 

NK "NK" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Macdonald Had A Woodshop (Hardcover)

This book is definitely worth having. Our 2 1/4 year old son (who likes tools and loves music) loved the twist on a familiar and loved song. The depiction of Old MacDonald as a sheep and as a female!!!! who has a woodshop!!!! makes this a must have book to balance out, for both boys and girls, the lack of gender-neutral characters and over representation of gender-stereotypes that is ubquitious in both books and songs. The sounds used for the various tools are not that good so you may want to make up your own but otherwise the pictures and text are good and what Old MacDonald and the animals are building makes for a cute surprise ending.

5.0 out of 5 stars Old MacDonald is a GIRL in this book!, April 20, 2011

By 

Vicki M. Krueger (Boone, North Carolina United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Old Macdonald Had A Woodshop (Hardcover)

This is a MUST have for boys and girls to show girls can have a woodshop and create amazing things! I love the twist in this book where SHE is Old MacDonald! A MUST HAVE FOR ANY CLASSROOM!