Dooby Dooby Moo

awesome kindergarteners' storybook

"Dooby Dooby Moo" is the kids' equivalent of a light summer read. It's loads of fun, easy to follow, poses no great moral crises, and has a touch of suspence. Doreen Cronin's casual, sometimes silly tone is complemented by a wry narrative and visual wit, some smart references to pop culture, and appealingly informal watercolors with unexpected colors (especially in the shadings). Betsy Lewin excels at both minimalist pictures (e.g., two cows grazing), as well as panoramic landscapes (an exquisite night time overview of a county fair). The plots goes something like this: Farmer Brown is suspicious (but ultimately without a clue) about the sounds coming from his barn. The animals snore with a Sinatra flair: "Dooby, dooby moo" (the cows). Fa, la, la, la, baaa(the sheep), and "Whacka, whacka quack (the duck). While this play on "Strangers in the Night" doesn't relate directly to the story, adult readers who enjoy the allusion. When the animals aren;t snoring, we discover, (although Farmer Brown doesn't know), they're praciticing for the county fair talent contest! THe cows and sheep sing--Here's the sheep's renditions of "Home on the Range": "Baaa, baaa, baaa, baaabaaa. Fa la baaa, fa la baaaa, baaaa baaa baaa!" Cronin perfectly mimics the sounds! The pigs...well, the pigs practice "an interpretive dance," (shades of "Fantasia") which, unfortunately, puts everyone to sleep, including their tenacious singing and dancing coach, the duck. Farmer Brown, distrusting his noisy animals, takes them with him to the county fair, exactly what they wanted! Cronin and Lewin earn the gold medal for their parady of pre-performance routines. Duck, somewhat of an anxious perfectionist, paces back and forth, the precious pigs coif their hair, and the cows, acting very much the diva bovine, dainitly quoff their tea. The judges generally love the singing (with the notable exception of one very grumpy cat), but even they fall asleep during the porcine dance. THere's a wonderful surprise ending as Duck (who's had his eye on the first prize trampoline) lets loose with his version of "Born to Be Wild!" RIght to the last page, Farmer Brown remains ignorant of his homegrown talent, and the new trampoline in his barn. The duo that produced the Caldecott Honor-winning "Click Clack, Moo: Cows That Type," and several other best selling and/or award-winning stories, have teamed for another delightful behind-the-scenes romp with farm animals. "Dooby, Dooby, Moo" is 35 pages of light, lively entertainment.

fans of the pre-Simpsons Matt Groening will understand when I say this is 5-star material if only because the pigs insist on doing interpretive dance...

In our library, we can't keep her books on the shelves, and the once-again winning combination of her words with Betsy Lewin's pictures just cannot be beat. Our small patrons love her books on one level, while their parents are getting a kick out of them on a totally different one. I always appreciate authors who understand that they have two audiences, after all, and Ms. Cronin feeds both appetites. The clever, gentle humor of this book will be welcomed by discerning parents, and by the end, I am sure of two things: Farmer Brown will never catch on, and I will never hear "Born To Be Wild" again without thinking of the beloved Duck.

I didn't think life got any better than Click Clack Moo, but Dooby Dooby Moo tops it. I love it! Dooby Dooby Moo is one of those rare books that holds enjoyment for kids and adults alike. Kids like the story of the talent show and each animal's attempts to win, while parents get to laugh their heads off at the pig's interpretive dance. It's a great read-aloud book because the adult can sing along (very easy tunes we all know) and kids love that part. I highly recommend Dooby Dooby Moo, especially to any lover of Farmer Brown's motley crew.