Amazon.com Review
From morning 'til night, the sights and sounds of a farm are pure delight for readers of Suzanne Tanner Chitwood's
Wake Up, Big Barn! Gorgeous and unusual torn-paper collages, using her husband's discarded catalogs, are rich in color and pattern. A rooster bellows his "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" as feathers fly in his exuberance. A closer look reveals that those feathers are actually the red plaids of shirts and the brilliant crimson of flowers; presumably, her husband collects gardening and casual-wear catalogs. Simple, onomatopoeic, and rhyming text make it a terrific read-aloud: "Hip-hop, / bebop, / farm frogs / rock hop!" Every illustration is frame-worthy, from frolicking frogs to muddy pigs to falling cherries ("Ping! Ping!").
This is an impressive first foray into picture books for the talented Chitwood. The artwork is as friendly as it is beautiful, and the lively, rollicking verses will capture the fancy of readers young and old. (Ages 2 to 6) --Emilie Coulter
From Publishers Weekly
"Wake up, Big Barn!/ Cock-a-doodle-doo!/ Piggies love/ a mud bath./ Hee-haw, hee-haw!/ Moo, moo, moo!" In her debut picture book Chitwood (a former art teacher) charts the daily flow of farm life with rhythmic, onomatopoeic text. But it's her dynamic torn-paper collage that really makes an impression. A red rooster crafted out of images recycled from the pages of clothing catalogues and magazines, for example, flaunts feathers of dress plaids, fleece and autumnal foliage. Later, a peacock's blue plumage (featuring blue-and-white checks, a traditional floral motif and a blue-and-yellow Hawaiian print) fans out from its small body, which appears to be rendered from a swatch of knitted wool. The overall compositions, comprised of many tiny details, remain balanced and electric. In the final spread, close inspection reveals zippers, seams and catalogue copy in yellow barn doors ("Good night,/ Big Barn!/ Good night, you!") This sure-fire read aloud, with Chitwood's musical beat accompanied by stimulating illustrations, will get kids grooving. An auspicious beginning. Ages 3-7.
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