Gobble Gobble Crash!: A Barnyard Counting Bash, by Julie Stiegemeyer

Stiegemeyer, Julie. Gobble Gobble Crash!: A Barnyard Counting Bash.  Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev. Dutton Children's Books, 2008. 32 pages. $16.99, ISBN 978-0-525-47959-8

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Nonfiction (Numbers, Counting)

REVIEW
This is not your average counting book.  In addition to practice with the numbers one through ten, it contains a humorous story of a group of turkeys' barnyard visit, encouragement to help others, and a fun game of find-the-turkey toward the end of the story.  The story starts off peacefully with one mare quietly eating at night, two calves sleeping, three kittens cuddled close to their mother, etc.  But then, "Gobble-Gobble-Crash!," the turkeys arrive to take this count home, alternately annoying and delighting the animals whom they visit, such as six chicks, seven mice, eight baby goats, etc.  The farmer, awoken by all the racket, threatens to catch the turkeys.  The other animals come to their aid, and children will enjoy discovering just where the turkeys are hidden. Although this story has a very predictable structure, the amount of text makes it more appropriate for 3 and 4 year-olds than younger children.  The painted illustrations are warm and joyful.  Children will enjoy participating by counting and repeating "gobble-gobble-crash!" A highly recommended book.

A Day in the Life of Murphy, by Alice Provensen

Provensen, Alice. A Day in the Life of Murphy. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003. 32 pages. $16.95, ISBN 0-689-84884-6

AGE LEVEL
3 and 4 year-olds

GENRE
Picture book

REVIEW
Somehow Provensen has managed to channel the thoughts and motivations of a terrier in this laugh-out-loud funny book.  "Murphy-Stop-That is my name," opens the story, and we set off with Murphy the farm dog on his day.  Murphy is high-energy and on alert all the time, as this excerpt from his amusing interior monologue shows: "Don't waste any time.  You have to be first!  The first one in the kitchen in the morning.  Where's the pan?  The pan first.  Leftovers.  Scraps.  Forget the lettuce.  Where's the bowl?"  Illustrations painted in oils reflect Murphy's liveliness, and he is cast as quick black lines over a brown-gray background, with darting eyes rounding out the portrait.  In the course of the day Murphy assists the other animals in a raid of the pet food cupboard, looks for mice, is taken to the vet, and investigates nighttime noises.  This story is very engaging, Murphy is one of the most likeable picture book characters I've ever met, and the book's closing scene imparts a positive message about valuing one's friends and blessings in life.  The only minor drawbacks to the book are the sometimes uninteresting background scenes -- although I realize they are probably meant to fade a little bit in order to let Murphy stand out -- and a slightly clinical all-caps font.  But these are small details and should definitely not stop anyone from reading this story to their 3 or 4 year-old again and again.

LIBRARY PROGRAMMING IDEAS
After reading this book aloud at preschool storytime, children could make terrier puppets using brown paper bags, pre-cut construction paper ears, crayons, pre-cut lengths of black yarn, plastic googly eyes, and glue sticks.