Dooby Dooby Moo

This work by the award-winning Cronin begs for music and gets it--and more. Music, voice, and soundscape blend into a magnificent story symphony. Randy Travis narrates with a drawl that fits the wacky farm where the animals are musical. Sheep baa "Home on the Rangeâ" cows moo "Twinkle, Twinkle," and Duck, always the star of the barn, does a rendition of "Born to be Wild" that wins the animals a prize: a "slightly used" trampoline. The humorous asides embedded in the book's illustrations don't give Travis a second's pause. He speed-reads the small print of the trampoline's warranty and leaves room for snippets of Duck's interspersed sarcastic comments and bizarre musical interpretations. Other tracks include read-along versions of the story and more of Duck's performance, which may inspire singing along. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2008 Odyssey Honor, 2008 ALA Notable (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Starred review from June 19, 2006
What do you get when a bunch of farm animals decide to enter a talent contest to win... a trampoline? Sounds like the latest joke at the watercooler, but it's just Cronin and Lewin (of Click, Clack, Moo
fame) at it again, with an off-the-wall tale poised to deliver giggles galore. Here they reprise their bovine beauties crooning à la Sinatra. But they are not the only contestants of the barnyard persuasion: the pigs practice an interpretive dance and Duck belts out his rendition of "Born to Be Wild" in performances sure to amuse young and adult readers alike. While children will enjoy the pure silliness of singing animals alone, older readers will appreciate Cronin's tongue-in-cheek asides, such as the footnote about the trampoline being "slightly used," along with a legal disclaimer. Lewin's expansive brush strokes pay further tribute to this tall tale of animals that sing and dance behind closed barn doors. By story's end, the animals have returned to their regular routines, except for the extra "boing" in their song—whose source comes clear in Lewin's closing image of the animals enjoying the well-earned prize. Fans will hope for many more farmyard adventures from this dynamic duo. Ages 3-7.