Thump, Quack, Moo

Starred review from July 14, 2008
It's another interspecies battle of wits—and read-aloud winner—from a celebrated duo. This time, Farmer Brown is trying to put together a fabulous Statue of Liberty corn maze. But the ever-subversive Duck has different ideas—and given that he also owns night-vision goggles and a glow-in-the-dark ruler, it's not surprising whose artistic vision triumphs. This entry is more goofy than satiric—it's closer in spirit to Dooby Dooby Moo
than Duck for President
. But it also proves that this team continues to operate in top form. Lewin is especially good here: her bold, loosely rendered watercolors continue to find new comic depths in the obsessive, cranky Duck (the scenes drawn from the perspective of his night-vision goggles are a hoot). And the subsidiary characters garner plenty of giggles, too. Ages 3–7.

August 1, 2008
K-Gr 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 Duckcurmudgeon extraordinaireis 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 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2008
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 Sawyerlike tactics to convince the animals to lend a hoof or wing. Only Duck is unmoved, and its only after Farmer Brown threatens to withhold Ducks favorite food that he finally agrees to help. Kids who know Duck from the first titles wont 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 Lewins typically comic bold-lined illustrations and in Farmer Browns folly, even as they (and their parents) recognize the familiar power struggles.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)