Click, Clack, Boo!

Starred review from July 22, 2013
Farmer Brown has endured a lot in Cronin and Lewin’s Click, Clack, Moo series, and in this sixth book, he’s up against a holiday he hates, Halloween: “Witches give him nightmares. Pirates give him shivers.” He’s in the minority on the farm, though, as the sheep, mice, chickens, and more don costumes for a barn party. And who exactly is that “dark creature standing beneath the trees,” with a vampire cape and an orange bill? Cronin makes delicious use of onomatopoeia and repetition to generate eerie tension, and Lewin’s moonlit watercolors add just the right touch of spookiness. Ages 3–7. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties.

August 1, 2013
The barnyard animals love Halloween. Farmer Brown does not. Sounds like the perfect time for tricks and treats! Since Farmer Brown wants nothing to do with the scary holiday, "he leaves a bowl of candy on the porch....draws the shades and locks the door." Out in the barn, though, the party is just getting started. Saturated watercolors show Cow dressed as a skeleton, the chickens looking quite ghostly and the sheep donning witch hats. As field mice and cats arrive, creepy sounds begin. The "crunch, crunch, crunching" and the "creak, creak, creaking" lead to a "tap, tap, tapping." Hearing them, Farmer Brown peeks out his window to investigate. Readers will chuckle and easily recognize "the dark creature standing beneath the trees." The farmer, however, runs to his bedroom to pull the covers up over his head. Now the sounds repeat, as the figure comes closer. This time, though, the tapping is followed by a "quack, quack, quackle." Wait--"Quackle " Farmer Brown goes out to the porch to find the candy bowl gone and a note on the door announcing, "Halloween Party at the barn!" The chorus of onomatopoeic phrases throughout the briskly paced text guarantees an interactive read-aloud, though fans of Duck's earlier outings will miss their satiric bite. Sweet and silly--good enough for Halloween. (Picture book. 3-6)

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June 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-Cronin and Lewin have teamed up again to bring Farmer Brown and his clever barnyard animals back for a Halloween read-aloud. Farmer Brown leaves a bowl of candy on the porch, locks up the house, puts up a "Do Not Disturb" sign, and prepares to sleep through the holiday, but his animals have other plans for the evening. The repeated use of onomatopoeia successfully sets the mood for a crunching, creaking, tapping-filled night as the man is kept awake by the noise. When he spies a dark, lurking figure through the window, he realizes that his animal friends are at it again. His candy has disappeared and a new note appears on his door-"Halloween Party at the Barn!" Lewin's broad, black lines and watercolor paintings add just the right amount of shadow and spookiness to complement the simple text, creating a story that is creepy enough for Halloween storyhours, but not enough to scare young listeners. Fans of this creative team's other barnyard adventures will not be surprised to learn the identity of the caped figure responsible for the revelry and will enjoy this Halloween treat.-Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

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