Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An Alphabetical Adventure

Farmer Brown's Barnyard Tales

by Doreen Cronin

Animals awake beneath blue blankets
Clickety-clack!
The cows on Farmer Brown's farm are typing again. Duck can't wait to show everyone their latest note. Just what are they up to this time? Duck's not telling, but if you follow the alphabet one letter at a time, you'll find out. And you'll have as much fun as the animals are going to have, and learn your letters, too!
This alphabetical adventure for the very youngest fans of Duck brings alphabet books to a whole new level -- click, clack, quackity-quack!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Storytime, Fiction, Fantasy, Humor

24 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2005

About the author

Doreen Cronin (born 1966) is an American writer of children's books, including Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type, a very well-received picture book illustrated by Betsy Lewin.

Reviews

[Archit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's have an alphabetic session in Farmer Brown's barnyard. All the animals are supporting the cause. The duck with the pencil shows up again. For the toddlers, the series will prove to be hilarious.

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Text: 3 stars
Illustrations: 4 stars

Alphabet picture book that tells a story about farm animals going on a picnic. Has 2 words for each letter, except V, X, and Z (which each have only one word). Story is a little slight in this one. Illustrations add humor. Part of Doreen Cronin's farm animal series that also includes Click Clack Moo.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alphabet book with verbs! And a picnic! Pretty darn cute. I'd consider using it as a mentor text.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The animals in Farmer Brown's barn and farmyard get ready for a fun event in this engaging alphabet book. From the first page, on which the "animals awake," through the final sequence, in which they are catching some "zzzzzzzs," their actions are described in brief snippets of text, arranged alphabetically.

Having enjoyed author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin's previous tales about this animal crew and their madcap adventures, I was curious to see what they would do with the alphabet-book format. Overall, I found Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack: An Alphabetical Adventure quite entertaining, and appreciated the fact that it was more of a story, and less of a recitation of letters, with corresponding objects. The artwork is amusing, capturing the humor of the tale. Recommended to fans of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type and its sequels, especially if they are in the market for an alphabet book.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, alliterative run through the alphabet has the farm animals gathering for a picnic.

[Adriana Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ducks are dashing, eggs are emptying, sheep are sleeping and all the animals are speeding in this alphabetical adventure. The book is a fun way for children to learn the alphabet and words that begin with each letter. It's also a good book to use with children while they are learning how to sound out words. The play on words not only follow the alphabet, but also tell a story. In the beginning of the book it says, "Animals awake beneath blue blankets, clickety-clack!" The illustrations help the author tell a story about what the animals are doing. On page three the cows are typing a note on the type writer, but the words that are written are "clickety-clack!" The illustrations were basic normal pictures of the animals doing various things. The cover page didn't seem spectacular, but instead basic. The illustrator could've been more elaborate and entertaining when illustrating this book, but it seemed like the main focus was on the words and the alphabet. Overall, the book was great for children learning the alphabet and sounding out words.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple alphabet book where the farm animals go to a picnic. Worked well with toddlers. 6/27/12

Used again in Lap Time. 7/24/13

Used in PJ Story time and went over well, it seemed a bit long for lap time, need to see if I can find something better for babies... 7/14/15

First book picked in PJ and had some older toddlers in Lap Time so went over well.

[Caitlin Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. It was really cute how it was not a traditional abc book. It made it more unique and interesting. I think that this could be used in the classroom for introducing animals. It could also be a fun prediction lesson where they would guess what was going to happen next and in the end they would be learning to predict.

[Lindsay Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for teaching young ones the alphabet - so much more fun then when I was a kid!

[Laura Fordyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Picture Book - Alphabet
Awards: None
Source: Teacher's Books - https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/b...
Audience: Pre-K - 2
Response:
This book fits into the picture book category because it is mainly comprised of pictures. It is also an alphabet book so it has few words and characters that correspond with the pictures.

The composition of this book was clearly thought out by the illustrator. The story includes different farm animals getting ready for a picnic, so the illustrator uses double-pages to blow up the images and connect the story line. The characters that are running to the picnic are all facing to the right to signify that as the reader turns each page they are getting closer to the picnic. At the end, the animals are all together and they are shown closer up on the page and facing the reader rather towards the right side.

I would use this book with a group of children to practice the alphabet with them because each event leading to the picnic is presented in the order of the alphabet (“goats grooming, hens helping”, etc.). The visuals are also helpful for kids learning to connect letters with words and words with pictures.

[Audrey Ahrens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack presents a new spin on traditional alphabet books. In this story, readers follow along while the duck types each letter and presents a sentence that starts with the same letter. Each letter relates back to a farm animal or action occurring on the farm, ending with all the animals having a picnic and taking a nap. I think this would be a great addition to any kindergarten classroom because of its unique ability to capture reader's attention using alliteration and the theme of farms. The illustrations are well drawn and I especially like the cartoonish characteristics that are exhibited. The background is white for all of the pages so readers are able to focus solely on the animals and words presented on each page. I think this makes it especially easy for kindergarteners to maintain their attention throughout the book when focusing solely on those two things. This book would make a great addition to the classroom because of its easy nature to read along and present the alphabet in an exciting way, in addition to the isolated images.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but it didn't really have a story line. However, I know that probably wasn't the point because its an alphabetical book but I always like to read books that make sense in some way. I think it is a great choice for kids to learn their letters and what letter makes what sound. There is a wide range of vocabulary which is great exposure for kids and gives them a chance to read new words than what they're used to. For example, harder words like umbrella, beneath, emptying, and inching are all going to be a challenge for kids to read, pronounce, and spell but is also great exposure. Overall, I gave this three stars because the illustrations of all the animals are really animated with great expressions and because it introduces tougher words for young kids to learn and understand.

[Mary Kay Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

target audience - 2-6 Year Olds

summary –This is a alphabet concept book, the Library marked all the concept books with a C. There are pictures and a letter with short phrases for each letter of the Alphabet.

strengths/weaknesses - The colors are bright primary and easy to see. The short phrases are rhyming. I would have colored the alphabet letters darker, but in this book they are muted gray and seem to be in the background.

personal critique -I like the art work, and the paper stock is heavy and durable, easy for page turning. The words are bold and easy to pick out, and the ducks running across each page are primarily white outlined in blue and black with splashes of color. The style is reminiscent of comic greeting cards, pleasant to the eyes.

illustrations - This is a picture book with fresh art work that uses the entire frame, the layout is simple and there are no boarders. There are other farm animals and foods for the letters.


whether a title could be used in a lesson plan? In a Kindergarten classroom it would be entertaining and reinforce letters.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good alphabet book for young children of any age. The artwork is very illustated which helps keep the child's attention. The book also uses alliteration which is a good grammar skill for children to learn at a young age and also a fun way of learning it. Also, with alliteration, children will have fun saying them aloud and this helps maintain their attention. The book has illustrations and the letters followed by alliterations on a blank white background which helps the child focus in on the alphabet. This book teaches children the alphabet and also helps the child associate the letters with words, due to the use of alliterations after the letters.

[Andrew Everson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this poetic children's novel, it actually made me laugh a little bit. Not only is this book insightful for children trying to learn their ABC's but it makes the giggle and think about what other animals may do. This can be very useful in a classroom setting, and maybe I could ask them if they could think of any other animal that starts with that letter in the alphabet? This book is engaging and quirky and humorous, which I think kids needs to be introduced to at a young age. It makes me feel a little bit younger reading this for some reason. I think I would use this book for k-2nd grade, because it introduces letters and animals.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Booklist (September 15, 2005 (Vol. 102, No. 2))

cpg1252 PreS. The team that did the Caldecott Honor Book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type0 (2000), and its sequel, Giggle, Giggle Quack 0 (2002), use the same farmyard slapstick to tell a simple alphabet adventure. "Animals awake beneath blue blankets." Cows clickety clack on the old typewriter. Then there's "Duck dashing, eggs emptying . . . goats grooming, hens helping," and so on. What's going on? Suspense builds until "X0 marks the picnic spot," where the animals have fun, then yawn, and finally catch some Z's. Young preschoolers will learn the alphabet sounds as they act out the animal bedlam and point to the silly scenarios in the uproarious cartoons.



Horn Book (Spring 2006)

Lewin's humorous illustrations and lively page design cannot save this effort to bring the successful Click, Clack Moo characters to a younger audience. The brief text, "hens helping, / inchworms inching. / Jumpity-jump" does not have a predictable grammatical consistency needed for an alphabet book nor does it effectively tell the story of animals gathering for a picnic.



Kirkus Reviews (September 1, 2005)

Preschoolers familiar with the Caldecott Honor-winning Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type will recognize that cacophonous crew of barnyard animals in this spin-off "alphabetical adventure." The story begins with an avalanche of alliteration: "Animals awake / beneath blue blankets. / Clickety-clack!" Once again, Farmer Brown's cows are typing. Duck dashes off with their freshly typed note, but why? And what does the note say? As Duck zooms by goats grooming, hens helping, and inchworms inching, she grabs a mouse-inhabited, picnic basket-bearing red wagon. The mysterious note turns out to be a big X because "X marks the picnic spot." (A rather central glitch: the bold X is clearly hand-drawn, and the cows were supposed to have typed this note. Ah, well.) The picnicking menagerie (inchworms included) eats a wagonload of watermelon and promptly falls asleep, a rather sudden ending perhaps designed to cue preschoolers to call it a day themselves. Lewin's brush and watercolor illustrations are as loose and lively as ever, barely restrained by the A-to-Z format that juxtaposes a big lowercase letter with each visual vignette. (Picture book. 2-5)



Library Media Connection (April/May 2006)

Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin have teamed up again to create another fun story featuring the cows, duck, and other animals from Farmer Brown's farm. The cows are back at the typewriter creating a note. Duck takes the note, the contents of which readers do not see, and shows it to the other farm animals. Clever use of the letter "X" reveals that the cows and duck were planning a picnic on the farm. Readers will appreciate the familiar animals from this duo's previous books. Lewin's watercolor illustrations are right on track. Short phrases (one to four words) consisting of the letters of the alphabet in order make up the text ("Animals awake Beneath blue blankets . . ."). Many of the phrases are too difficult for beginning readers to read independently, but as a read-aloud story, the alphabet premise works. This story will be especially popular where the previous collaborations by these authors are popular, but any library serving young children should own this title. Recommended. Laura D'Amato, Library Media Specialist, Parma (Ohio) City School District



Publishers Weekly (August 22, 2005)

It's funny business as usual down on the Brown farm, as droll Duck and those literate cows from Cronin and Lewin's Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type return in this conceptual romp for younger readers. It seems the cows have tapped out their latest directive and it involves Duck's help in its implementation. In a jovial, bouncy tone, Cronin crafts alliterative phrases beginning with each letter of the alphabet (e.g., "Goats grooming, hens helping, inchworms inching. Jumpity-jump!") to tell the simple tale of a pleasant Duck-led summer outing. As readers follow Duck and his red wagon through the pages, they also waddle through their ABC's: each lower-case letter is highlighted in a large typeface, alongside the appropriate words and images. Eventually, the cast of critters ends up where X marks the perfect spot for a picnic, replete with plenty of "watermelons waiting." Lewin's loose, thickly outlined watercolors keep readers in playful suspense along the way, dropping visual hints for eagle-eye observers. Her sunny depictions of this barnyard bunch brim with personality and humorous detail. Ages 2-5. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.



School Library Journal (November 1, 2005)

PreS-Gr 2-The farmyard is aflutter as the "cows that type" return with new correspondence. Youngsters will soon realize that they invited all of their animal friends, including Duck, to a picnic. The alphabetical adventure begins as the "Animals awake" and ends 25 letters later with them peacefully snoring "Zzzzzzzz-." In between there is plenty of fun as Duck pulls the "Mice munching" in a red wagon, "Rain" threatens, and "X marks the picnic spot." Once again, this author-illustrator team works in perfect harmony to create a colorful and funny story with highly expressive animals. It's sure to delight Duck's many fans, and there's a distinct possibility that this adventure will have more appeal to preschoolers than the original story that inspired it.-Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

[Reade · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is an alphabet book that is good for children to read if they are learning the alphabet. This book uses animals and other easy things to describe each letter and give an example on how those letter are used.
3 book topic ideas
1.) This book is good for younger children when learning the letter of the alphabet
2.) You could also use this book for older students to talk about the different words that begin with the letters.
3.) Older students could create their own book with words and animals that start with each letter of the alphabet to strength their vocabulary.

[MARTA TORRES · Rating 4 out of 5]

This alphabet adventure takes readers on a trip to a farm where a couple of cows are typing up a note. Duck takes the note and dashes to tell everyone what's on the note. The author uses this story to take the reader through the farm to meet all of the farm animals.

Caldecott Honor, Betsy Lewin, illustrated this picture book beautifully. Each character has its own personality that shines though, although very little words were used. The watercolors come together and are vibrant through each page.

Recommended for ages 2-5.

[Maggie Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful way to be able to teach children their ABCs. This story is adorably illustrated through different animals on a farm. This book will help children learn their ABCs while still being able to keep their attention through the whole alphabet. Each letter of the alphabet is linked to an animal, like K for kittens. This book has a duck running through almost every page, which you could ask the children to help you find on each page. At the end of the book you can ask the children what they remember seeing on almost every page. This book is a great book for ages 2-8.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to read once because of the connection to Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That TypeClick, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun picture book in the Farmer Brown's Barnyard Tales series. The events in this story are told in alphabetical order with minimal text. The cows have typed a message and Duck quickly spreads the word. All the animals are excited and with good reason: they are having a picnic. The picture book begins with "animals awake" and ends with "Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz." A delightful alphabet picture book!

[Megan Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was fantastic for young students! It is generally another "A is for Apple" book, but I really like how it associates all of the letters with one theme (the farm). The sentences are usually only two words, but both words start with the highlighted letter, so students can associate and get more practice with words that start with that specific letter.

[Stephanie Ewanciw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book teaches the alphabet through an adventure of ducks typing on farmer browns farm. Each duck types a letter and gives an example of the letter in a word and then a rhyming word to follow. I would read this book aloud and each page we read I would have the kids act out the animal sound and say/point to the letter the animal starts with. Ages 3-8.

[Lily Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this childrens book, is a pretty good way to learn the alphabet, while I was reading, I felt that it was somewhat all over the place and didnt really connect any letters to each other. So the story felt nonexistent, besides at the end where there was a big yawn and sleep. Besides the story,I really enjoyed these illustrations. What I liked most about them, is how they looked cartoonish.

[Madelyn Burton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Click, Clack, Quackity-Quack is an alphabetical adventure for students who are learning to read. Each page contains a letter coordinating with a picture of an animal. Younger students can relate letters and sounds to animals that are seen in their everyday life as well as on shows that they watch. This book is a great Read-Aloud option for teachers to introduce text to beginning readers.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My one-year-old picked this book as a reward from our library's summer reading program. This is a fairly standard alphabet book, but what I like about it is it has a basic story to follow throughout. Wondering what the duck was up to kept me turning pages and laughing with my son.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cows from Farmer Brown's farm send out an invitation for a picnic, and Duck spreads the word to the rest of the barn in an alphabetical adventure.

A cute story, but if you focus too much on the words, you might not catch the actual story taking place in the illustrations.

[Zoii Vogt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book for young children learning their ABCs or getting used to pronouncing their letter. Almost all of the letters had two words per each and the illustrations were very simple but is a good eye grabber.

[Nereida Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not realize how many books Doreen Cronin had written and how useful they were. this would be perfect for younger students. They would get to hear a good book while learning their alphabet.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed reading this farm-inspired alphabet book. If you like "Click, Clack, Moo" which is by the same author, then you would enjoy this book too.