Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure [Hardcover]

Doreen Cronin (Author), Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2, 2008

It's time for the annual Corn Maze Festival.

The farm is bursting with activity.

Cluck
Whack!

The chickens build a fence around the cornfield.

Moo
Thwack!

The cows give the barn a fresh coat of paint.

Thump. Quack!

Duck builds the ticket booth for the hot-air balloon ride.

Everyone is excited. Well, Duck is not excited exactly. But he has a plan. As Farmer Brown designs the corn maze for the festival, Duck does some designing of his own. Guess who's in for a big surprise?

The always-creative, always-hilarious, always-champions-of-corn-mazes pair who brought you Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type; Giggle, Giggle, Quack; and Duck for President have planned a terrific event. Step right up, folks.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4—Duck and his comical cohorts return in another zany tale. Farmer Brown plans a Statue of Liberty maze for the annual Corn Maze Festival, enlisting (by bribe and threat) the reluctant help of his animal friends to see the project through. Before long, the chickens are constructing a fence, the cows are painting the barn, and Duck—curmudgeon extraordinaire—is furiously hammering out a ticket booth. As Farmer Brown busily sketches, measures, and mows by day, Duck keeps equally busy, sneaking into the cornfield every night armed with night-vision goggles, glow-in-the-dark ruler, and hedge clippers. Although the animals' various endeavors don't turn out as expected (the disasters are humorously depicted in the artwork), an undaunted Farmer Brown eagerly boards a hot-air balloon for an aerial view of his masterpiece during the opening ceremony. Along for the ride, a smug Duck is able to witness the man's priceless reaction to the nighttime design changes, which readers can view on a two-page fold-up. Once again, Cronin and Lewin get everything right, from the perfectly paced deadpan narrative, to the amusing characterizations, to the vibrant brush and watercolor cartoons that play off and extend the text's humor. Throughout the tale, the farm mice, who are taking a meteorology correspondence course, present weather-prediction charts that reflect the mood of the plot, gradually building from partly sunny skies to stormy climax. Fans will not be disappointed.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The creators of the immensely popular series that began with Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type (2001) continue the story of Farmer Brown and his barnyard full of insubordinate animals. Here, Brown eagerly prepares for the annual Corn Maze Festival, and he invents Tom Sawyer–like tactics to convince the animals to lend a hoof or wing. Only Duck is unmoved, and it’s only after Farmer Brown threatens to withhold Duck’s favorite food that he finally agrees to help. Kids who know Duck from the first titles won’t be surprised at all that the wily bird only appears to be compliant; his secret revenge (a much-altered corn maze) is revealed in a final, laugh-out-loud gatefold illustration. Composed of short sentences printed in large type, the entertaining story is well suited to new readers, who will stretch for the few vocabulary words (meteorology, for example). Readers and listeners both will delight in Lewin’s typically comic bold-lined illustrations and in Farmer Brown’s folly, even as they (and their parents) recognize the familiar power struggles. Preschool-Grade 2. --Gillian Engberg

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 42 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (September 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141691630X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416916307
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #187,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Doreen Cronin is the successful author of many bestselling picture books, including Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure; Bounce; Wiggle; Duck for President; Giggle, Giggle, Quack; Dooby Dooby Moo; and the Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Cronin/Lewin Smash Hit!, August 28, 2008

By 

Portianay "portianay" (KY, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure (Hardcover)

(Speaking of "smash," poor Duck, one of the most beloved Cronin characters ever, experiences one in this book; read it and see!) This is another hilariously fun read for pre-schoolers and parents/teachers alike, with a very satisfying, laugh-out-loud, typically-Doreen-Cronin twist at the end. Special Note: Keep your eyes on those meteorologist mice! They are the most accurate forecasters I've ever seen!
Long live sly, irreverent Duck, my hero! He builds the best ticket booth I have EVER seen! Don't miss this book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Duck Returns Funnier Than Ever!, September 2, 2008

By 

Taste Buddy (Eastern North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure (Hardcover)

Duck, along with Farmer Brown and a few of the cast of farm animals return once again in this HILARIOUS and "whacky adventure". Author Doreen Cronin and Illustrator Betsy Lewin have definitely outdone themselves.

Duck is always up to something. As usual, you've got to laugh at what he's done and how he goes about doing it.

Grab yourself a copy and read this with your child. My first grader just loves this book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good "Corny" Read, December 17, 2008

By 

Jen "library lady" (Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure (Hardcover)

Every time I see that a new Doreen Cronin book is being publishing, I just can't wait! Thump, Quack, Moo is another inventive story and feels like an old friend with the accompanying illustrations by Betsy Lewin.

Children familiar with the series will love the formulaic writing that is similar to previous books. The ending will once again delight and I was especially surprised (happily) at the fold out that ends the story.

While not as entertaining as Dooby Doo Moo, it is still a good book to add to your young child's collection.