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The Farm That Mac Built

by Tammi Sauer (Author) Jackie Urbanovic (Illustrator)

The Farm That Mac Built
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Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
cms Common Sense Media Review
The scarecrow from Old Mac Donald's farm emcees a barnyard theater production that collapses into hilarious chaos in this rollicking rendition of "The House That Jack Built." It's showtime on Old Mac Donald's Farm! The barnyard animals are putting on a play--a farm version of "The House That Jack Built"-- but other animals keep taking the stage and interrupting the production. First some rambunctious monkeys, then breakdancing kangaroos . . . there's even a pair of singing elephants. Everyone knows that monkeys, kangaroos, and elephants do NOT belong on a farm . . . so what to do? Bursting with sound effects and rollicking repetition that will have kids clamoring for repeat readings, this hilarious mashup of two favorite nursery rhymes shows that perseverance and teamwork pay off, and that sometimes you just have to roll with the unexpected and try to have fun with it.
cms Common Sense Media Review
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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1—A friendly scarecrow is the master of ceremonies for a play based on "The House That Jack Built," featuring a cast from Old MacDonald's farm. However, things quickly go sideways when a bevy of non-farm animals, including mischievous monkeys, hip-hopping kangaroos, and singing elephants, decide to get in on the act, resulting in chaos on stage. Finally, the farm animals get their act together and take their bows. But with a wink to the audience, the last page reveals a few remaining backstage antics by a couple of interlopers. VERDICT Lots of word repetition and animal sound effects, combined with Urbanovic's comically expressive cartoon illustrations, make this a rollicking read-aloud that will encourage young readers to join in on the silliness.—Jessica Marie, Salem P.L., OR

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Lots of word repetition and animal sound effects, combined with Urbanovic's comically expressive cartoon illustrations, make this a rollicking read-aloud that will encourage young readers to join in on the silliness."—School Library Journal

"Sauer's cumulative mashup of 'Old MacDonald Had a Farm' and 'The House That Jack Built' will delight audiences familiar with both. Urbanovic's cartoon illustrations of (mostly) clothed animal performers elevate this nightmare production into a hilarious comedy of errors....No owls here, but this one is definitely a hoot." —Kirkus
Tammi Sauer
Tammi Sauer is the author of the bestselling Chicken Dance, Bawk & Roll, and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oklahoma (all Sterling). Shes an active blogger (tammisauer.com) and is highly involved in the childrens writer community. Tammi has worked as a teacher and library media specialist and now lives in Edmond, OK, with her husband and their two children. Mike Reed teaches illustration at the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul, MN, and his many childrens books include Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms (Puffin Books), A Tale of Two Dogs (Marshall Cavendish), and A Chill in the Air (Simon and Schuster). He is also a regular contributor to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Mike lives in Minneapolis, MN.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780544113022
Lexile Measure
510
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Clarion Books
Publication date
August 20, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002090 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Farm Animals
JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV055000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nursery Rhymes
JUV031060 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | Theater
Library of Congress categories
Humorous stories
Animals
Domestic animals
Theater
Scarecrows

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