The Farmer's Away! Baa! Neigh!

K-Gr 2--Told in rhythmic onomatopoeia and rhyme, this tale is about farm animals that wait until the farmer heads out into the fields to cut loose. While he's working aw ay, they tube down the stream, have a picnic, ride a roller coaster, and literally have a ball. However, when they see the farmer returning with the setting sun, they race back to the farmyard and resume grazing near the barn. There are no actual words to the story, only animal noises: "Neigh neigh baa baa quack quack tweet/arf oink ree ree cluck cluck cheep!" It is the bright colored pencil and acrylic illustrations that tell the story. The animal faces are comical and expressive, and the rhythmic text may appeal to the ears of the littlest ones. However, they may not catch the humor in the pictures. Older children, though, will relish the silly pictures and may find humor in the nonsense words. A high-spirited addition.--Emily E. Lazio, The Smithtown Special Library District, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Colorful acrylic spreads burst with action, while the cheerful, catchy text consists entirely of rhymed, onomatopoeic animal sounds as the frolicsome cows, horses, birds, pigs, dogs and mice, as well as other animals, sing together to form a nonsensical chorus that toddlers will happily join. ... Babies, toddlers and very young emergent readers will delight in the strong, playful rhythm and energetic and detailed illustrations in this introduction to the noisy world of animal sounds.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

It is the bright colored pencil and acrylic illustrations that tell the story. The animal faces are comical and expressive, and the rhythmic text may appeal to the ears of the littlest ones. ... Older children ... will relish the silly pictures and may find humor in the nonsense words. A high-spirited addition.
—School Library Journal

The storyline is simple and easy to follow, and the text ("Neigh neigh baa baa quack quack tweet/ arf oink ree ree cluck cluck cheep!" cry the critters as the farmer heads off ) rejoices in its own verbal musicality. ... The rhythmic animal sounds pair pleasingly with the detailed and amusing colored pencil and acrylic illustrations, and kids will appreciate the opportunity to make one-to-one connections between the animal sounds and the animals. This would be an energetic choral reading selection, and the limited vocabulary puts it within reach of beginning solo readers as well.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

It's meant for little kids, but even cynical grown-ups will at least get a chuckle at Kennedy's hilarious animal-farm book — filled with colorful, expressive illustrations. When the farmer is out plowing the fields, the animals finally begin to enjoy themselves. ... All the while, the only words we see are animal sounds — neigh, baa, quack, cluck, ribbet, plus a few splish splashes and an eek. Even PETA couldn't object.
—The New York Post