Click, Clack, Moo (A Book Review)

Click, Clack, Moo (Review by Leighanne Massey)

Bibliography

Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000. ISBN 0689832133

Plot Summary

Farmer Brown discovers his cows have come across a typewriter and have magically developed bargaining capabilities as well as a knack for typing. The cows refuse to produce milk unless Farmer Brown honors their special request. To Farmer Brown's amazement and reluctance, he eventually honors the request of the cows only to find himself at the mercy of his ducks. When will the cycle end?  

Critical Analysis

From the very start of this simple picture book, there is a predictability in the echo from the animals. Narrated in simple vocabulary at the beginning and building in complexity, the story follows a sequence of events as the cows demand of Farmer Brown the one thing that will make them most happy. Readers will find humor in the letters typed back and forth until the cows' resolution is reached to a funny and surprising climactic ending. 

The colorful depictions of the farm life yield a unique view on an otherwise usual occurrence. Betsy Lewin serves the characters well in representing the different emotions of annoyance, surprise, and concentration displayed by the fictitious behaviors of the animal characters and Farmer Brown. The double-page layouts give light to the magnitude of the farm where the animals and Farmer Brown reside. The visual created by Lewin of ducks typing and cows with heater blankets is sure to make any young reader laugh out loud with delight.     

Review Excerpt(s)

2001 Caldecott Honor

From Publishers Weekly:

"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").

From Booklist:

"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."
  

Connections

Other Caldecott honor books to check out: 

• Andersen, Hans Christian. Ugly Duckling. ISBN 9780688159320
• Falconer, Ian. Olivia. ISBN 9780689829536
• Simont, Marc. The Stray Dog. ISBN 9780064436694

Other Doreen Cronin books to read such as: 

• Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky treat. ISBN 9781442465534 
• Cronin, Doreen. Duck for President. ISBN 9780689863776
• Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Peep! ISBN 9781481424110

Click, Clack Moo can be used as an opening to letter writing and the components needed to form a letter.

Duck for President can be used to teach about Democracy and why people get to vote and how the process works.