Review by Booklist Review
Farmer Brown's barnyard animals are still going strong in the series that started with the hilarious Click, Clack, Moo (2000). Once again the action in the barnyard comes to life with endearingly wacky pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations and fun-on-the-tongue word combinations (like slurp-a-lurp and snippety-clip). It's Little Duck's first birthday, and the farm is abuzz with preparations. Little Duck really wants to shine, so he imitates the grooming of the other animals. Things start off well with Big Duck, who rub-a-dubs clean in a bubble bath in one of Farmer Brown's buckets. But when the sheep trim their wool, Little Duck shears his own feathers; and his imitation of the chickens' dust bath leaves him a mess. The pattern continues until Little Duck arrives, thoroughly disheveled, at his party to a chorus of Happy Birthday to . . . ewww! It's no surprise that the wordplay, repetition, and silly situations created by Cronin and Lewin make for another fantastic read-aloud in the Click, Clack, Moo cannon.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this addition to the series that began with Click, Clack, Moo, it's Little Duck's birthday, and the farm animals are busy getting ready. Cronin merrily describes their preparations in repeating language ("The chickens take a dust bath to look their best. They shimmy-shake, shimmy-shake, shimmy-shake clean"), but the real fun comes as Little Duck mimics each animal, getting frizzier, dustier, and muddier in the process. Lewin adeptly portrays the story's physical comedy in swoopy mixed-media scenes that build to a "Happy Birthday to... ewww!" finale. It's goofy birthday fun that will probably have some readers shimmy-shaking and slurp-a-lurping along with the animals. Ages 4-8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-In the latest addition to the "Click, Clack" series, it's Little Duck's first birthday, and all the animals on the farm are preparing for the celebration. Little Duck has never gotten ready for a party before and doesn't know quite what to do, so she tries copying everyone else. She takes a long, hot bubble bath like Duck; she shears her feathers like the sheep; she licks herself clean like the cat; she takes a dust bath like the chickens; and she has a mud bath like the pigs. By the time Little Duck ends up at her party, she's wet, has spiky feathers, and is covered in dust and mud-it's truly a birthday surprise for everyone. Betsy Lewin's loose pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the lighthearted spirit of the day, and young viewers will enjoy seeing their favorite farm animals-and Farmer Brown, too-getting ready for the party. Maurice England's deep, drawling narration is complemented by twanging banjo background music that helps establish the festive vibe. VERDICT This production will be a hit where other Farmer Brown stories are popular. It is a fun addition for elementary collections and will work well for a farm-themed storytime or in units about farms and animals.-Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Birthday critter Little Duck mimics the party preparations of the other barnyard animals (e.g., gets a trim like the sheep, takes a mud bath like the pigs, etc.). This is yet another solid outing by Cronin and Lewin: breezy, funny, and a bit irreverent, as when, in Lewin's tour-de-force final illustration, Little Duck arrives at the party a mess. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
