I have another good read aloud book for you! Farmyard Beat by Lindsey Craig and illustrated by Marc Brown ( of Arthur fame ). It was published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2011.
The best thing about this book is the illustrations. They are paper collage, quite colorful ( so I’m told ), and crazy funny. I LOVE the pictures! The story begins with a chick hatching out of an egg saying “peep-peep-peep!” This leads to a barnyard full of animals that make a lot of racket and can’t sleep “because they got that beat!”
The chicks can’t sleep—they go peep,peep,peep and wake up the sheep who go TAT! TAT! TAT! (whoever heard a sheep go tat, tat, tat?!), and that wakes up the cat who goes PUUURRR! MEE-OOOW! and you get the picture. Lots of movement and noise making. But some of it doesn’t make sense — like sheep going tat, tat and cows going swish,clank. I never heard a cow clank! There’s lots of repetition and Rhythm in the wording. It helps reinforce the words which is a good thing with little kids.
I’ve heard a lot of good reviews for this book. It’s a happy book and provides for some serious singing and dancing. It might be a good addition to a preschool farm unit. You could talk about sounds that farm animals make. It would go along nicely with “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”. And what do farm animals really do at night anyway? It would be fun to make farm collages. Like I said, I do LOVE the illustrations!
Here’s a link to a farm theme lesson plan with some interesting ideas —
And a link to a really cute chick made from an egg carton!
And the Muppets doing Barnyard Boogie with all the animal sounds!
Now you can go visit Susanna Hill and all the other great PPBFs!
Reading With Rhythm 
Sounds fun, Rhythm. Eric Carle combined with Buddy Rich….(oh-oh am I showing my age?) Let’s see in dog years that would make me…never mind!
Hahahha! You’re pretty funny Ms Miller!
Sounds like fun! I love sounds of animals being put into stories. Looks like there’s a lot of chance for kids to join in.
Yes this is sure one to include the kids!
I’m tapping my foot already! Thanks for sharing.
It is a toe tapper dancing singing kind of book! Thanks for stopping by!
Lots of barnyard fun! Kids can’t enough of animal stories and this one sounds like great for them with lots of fun words and sounds. Your activities are really fun and engaging for children. Nice choice today.
Thanks Ms Tilton! I like books that get kids moving. And I can join in with all the sounds!
Oh, oh, oh! I want to read it next!
Well, step right up to your local library and “get the beat!”
Already on hold, pal!
Whew! You’re quick!
My son ADORES this book. We checked it out from the library ages ago and he will still chant, “Sheep can’t sleep, sheep can’t sleep, sheep can’t sleep cause they got that beat!” It is incredibly catchy even months later… maybe there should be a warning label. 🙂
HaHa!! Maybe your right! It’s sure not one to read before going to sleep!
Rhythm, I was so glad to see a dog in there, too!
Yes! And his name is Hank! We used to have a dog here who lived with us for a long long time and the Mom Person was quite partial to him and his name was Hank. She’s always looking for Hank stuff!
This book sounds like so much fun, Rhythm! What does the dog say? 🙂 I like this reversal of other farmyard books where the animals are settling down and trying to fall asleep. This sounds like a foot-stomping good time! Thanks for sharing!
The dog says Woof! How-WOOOOO! which is pretty appropriate I think. And its a cute happy dog. It’s all a good fun read!
I can just see you joining in on this one, Rhythm. Very eye catching cover as well as text. Love the pics.
Thanks!
Oh my goodness…kids will LOVE the animals making sounds…what a lot of great noise.:) Thank you for sharing such a fun book!
You’re most welcome! It is a fun one!
I love books like this with all the onomatopoeia and rhythm. Thanks for sharing it.
I really like them too!