Starred review from January 31, 2000
Plucky barnyard denizens unite to improve their working conditions in this hilarious debut picture book from Cronin (appropriately enough, an attorney). Farmer Brown is dumbfounded when his cows discover an old typewriter in the barn and begin experimenting ("All day long he hears click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety clack moo"). Things really get out of hand when the cows began airing their grievances. Lewin (Araminta's Paint Box) conveys the fellow's shock as he reads: "Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows." When Farmer Brown denies the cows' request, the bovine organizers go on strike. Through the use of the man's shadow, Lewin communicates his rage: the straw in his hat creates the appearance of his hair on end. With help from a neutral duck mediator, the exasperated Farmer Brown finally makes concessions. But, much to his dismay, the cows are not the only creatures that can type. Cronin humorously turns the tables on conventional barnyard dynamics; Lewin's bold, loose-lined watercolors set a light and easygoing mood that matches Farmer Brown's very funny predicament. Kids and underdogs everywhere will cheer for the clever critters that calmly and politely stand up for their rights, while their human caretaker becomes more and more unglued. Ages 3-7.
July 1, 2000
Farmer Brown's cows find an old typewriter and type up a request for electric blankets. When the elderly farmer refuses, the cows go on strike. Soon the hens join the strike, and Farmer Brown enlists the aid of a neutral party--a duck--to settle the dispute. The illustrations (splashy watercolor washes) and economical prose are equally delightful.
(Copyright 2000 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
April 1, 2000
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f3\fs24 Ages 4^-8. Lewin's wild line-and-watercolor cartoons are perfectly suited to this barnyard farce about animals that go on strike to demand better working conditions. The cows find an old typewriter in the barn, and to the farmer's fury, they type messages to him: "Dear Farmer Brown. The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows." When he refuses their request, they put up a notice: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today." The hens are cold, too, so they join the cows--no eggs, either. There are ultimatums, emergency meetings, and a hilarious surprise ending. Today's preschoolers may have to be told about antique clackety typewriters, but they'll love the slapstick of the domesticated animals who get the farmer to toe the line. The thickly outlined pictures extend the fun, with closeups of the frenzied boss, the stalwart cows, and the hens cozy under their plugged-in blankets. Then there are the ducks . . . ((Reviewed April 1, 2000)) (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)