Reviews from 4—7 years
6 Feb 2008
From hyperactive roosters to egg-laying cows, children will love these fun farmyard reads
The Cow That Laid an Egg by Andy Cutbill and Russell Ayto (HarperCollins Children’s Books, ISBN 9780007179671)
It’s like that old saying goes: What came first, the chicken, the egg – or the cow? Marge is a rather un-extraordinary cow. All the other cows seem to have a special skill, riding bikes or performing acrobatics, so it’s understandable that she feels depressed that she can’t. But a group of plotting poultry hatch a cunning plan to make Marge a bit different. The next morning the farm wakes up to discover Marge has laid an egg! Such astonishing news quickly makes the headlines of the Moos of the World but soon arouses suspicion from the rest of the herd – who are determined to crack the case.
The paper cut-out style illustrations are fun and vibrant and match this wacky story so well. On the surface this is an a-moo-sing (sorry, couldn’t resist) story about a cow with an identity crisis, but the unlikely storyline makes it great to share ideas about being different and bullying. (SW)
Farmyard Read & Play Set by Michael Rosen and Jonathan Langley (HarperCollins Children’s Books, ISBN 9780007259694)
If you’re after a veritable farmyard feast, then this Read and Play set will not disappoint. Introduce children to the familiar faces of Dog, Cat, Sheep, Cow, Pig and her piglets and the slightly grumpy donkey, in these three great reads, Shoo!, Oww! and Snore!
The playful text is packed with sounds and is perfectly complemented by the warm illustrations of Jonathan Langley. The books include just the right balance of repetition to engage early readers, so you’ll be sure to have children shouting ‘shoo’ along with you.
As well as these three super stories, this set comes with the added bonus of six plastic farm animals for play – making it an even better buy! So whether it’s a cat trying to keep cool, a dog with a noisy nose or a piglet with a prickly problem – children will love sharing in these animals’ problems. (SW)
All Pigs Are Beautiful by Dick King-Smith and Anita Jeram (Walker Books, ISBN 9781406311938)
Do you know your Saddleback from your Gloucester Old Spot? Well you will do by the end of this book (and the beginning for that matter!) as the title pages display a variety of pig breeds. The tone is set from the very start of this book, combining the best elements of a picture book with the information children are so eager for in reference books.
Written from the perspective of Dick King-Smith, the sincere affection that he feels for these clever creatures is evident as he brilliantly portrays their endearing qualities and individual personalities – especially for his favourite pig, Monty.
Different fonts in the book indicate the factual information, but in a wavy read-me style, which ensures the mix of facts and story is seamless. This touching and informative book and CD set will make a worthy addition to any classroom bookcase. (SW)
Visit our ‘Giveaways’ page for your chance to win the books featured in this review
I Love the Farm by Roger Priddy (Priddy Books, ISBN 9781843325253)
Make sure you’re wearing sunglasses when you turn the pages of this chunky board book, as each page is splattered with bright colours and crazy text – it’s an assault on the senses, but a pleasant one! Fun facts and questions are coupled with top-quality images that really draw you into the pages; children will love the rhyming language (‘Pink piglets are so very sweet, they grow because they eat and eat’), and clever use of font size and colour make the words as appealing as the pictures.
It may be a board book, which will inevitably put off older children, but this title is crammed full of information, from animals and machinery to where we get our food. The crazy and colourful ‘collage style’ layout could also inspire some fun cutting-and-pasting activities in the classroom. An enjoyable, durable title that will get plenty of use. (MW)
Magnetic Fun: Counting on the Farm by Karen Sapp (Tide Mill Press, ISBN 9781846662690)
OK, let’s be honest – the main appeal of this book is clearly the fantastic assortment of magnetic animals that come with it, cleverly bound in their own see-through pocket and crying out to be played with… And played with they will, as the whole approach to this book is to get children interacting with the pages.
As we follow the story of Farmer Jack, who must round up his animals at the end of the day, we are led through a series of illustrated scenes. On each one children are asked to find a certain number of animals from their magnetic collection to place on the page – a great way of sneaking in some maths, I’m sure you will agree! The story itself is forgettable but the novelty of the magnetic animals will ensure that it is a popular choice. However, you may, like Farmer Jack, need to do your own rounding up of the animals at the end of the day, to ensure none get lost! (MW)
Cock-a-doodle Boo! by Sally Hopgood and Marina Le Ray (Tide Mill Press, ISBN 9781846665585)
You can’t blame Ronnie the Rooster for loving his job – after all, waking up everyone with his characteristic call is what he does best. However, I’m less sure the other animals on Sleepydale Farm appreciate his skills, as they clearly aren’t of the ‘morning’ variety. Too bad for them then, as the farmer needs his breakfast and it’s up to Ronnie to get his slumbering chums into action!
What makes this book special is its pop-up characters. When each animal receives their wake-up call they literally leap off the page in surprise. I particularly liked the image of the hen, who is so shocked that she pops out an egg!
This is a great book to read aloud to a class as the children will delight in shouting the ‘cock-a-doodle-boos!’ as loudly as they can! (Cotton wool for the ears comes highly recommended.) The only downside is that you’ll find yourself wishing there were more characters for Ronnie to wake up. Hmm… I feel a follow-up activity coming on. (MW)
