Cock-a-doodle-doo, Creak, Pop-pop, Moo

PreS-Gr 1—"Rooster crows,/Cock-a-doodle-doo" and "Ham pop-pops/In the frying pan" to waken this jovial farm family as the various members launch into a rhythmic romp through a typically busy day. Short, simple sentences full of onomatopoeia describe cows mooing in the milking shed, hens clucking as they are fed, and Papa shoeing the mare, "tap, tap, tap." Sneed uses soft lines and watercolor paintings that are full of realistic detail, evoking the feel of traditional farms from a bygone era. The realistic and larger-than-life characters are as joyful and bouncy as Aylesworth's singsong text. By the end, readers will practically hear the crickets chirping in the night air as the rocking chairs creak on the porch. Listeners will enjoy this energetic celebration of rural family life, which is perfect for any farm-themed storyhour.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY