PICTURE BOOK REVIEW : The Case of Old MacDonald and his farm by Mark Teague
ABOUT THE BOOK
Something mysterious—and silly!—is up at Old MacDonald’s farm. Thank goodness Officer Busby is on the case, because, as she says, “Whoever did this knew their business.” Silly business, that is. What could possibly be going on? Well, it’s April 1st. And everyone knows what that means…
REVIEW
Poor Old MacDonald, his farm seems to have been attacked by a rash of silliness. Officer Busby of the Animal Control department arrives to help him sort things out. At first, she suspects that a rabbit in a blue coat is the culprit but Old MacDonald points out that the rabbit was a problem on the McGregor farm, a well-known literary reference that many children will recognize (if they don't the first double page spread gives it away with a picture of the notorious Peter. Other clues about the culprits show up in the illustrations. Faces drawn on cabbages, corn in the pond leading to duck bottoms in the air, and cow mustaches all indicate that someone is indeed up to some mischief. Luckily, Officer Busby has some suspects in mind other than the rabbit. The discovery of what day it is provides an explanation for the occurrence of the pranks. The final spread indicates the mayhem may get worse if the culprits aren't soon apprehended. Jokes related to the original song as well as the silly situations the animals find themselves in seems likely to inspire giggles from the intended audience. Chickens in hats, zebras which look a lot like painted horses, and references to things not smelling right and silliness being worse than danger add to the fun. The book is worth reading just for the mustachioed cows!. Teague's twist on the famous song will resonate most with those familiar with the song and may indeed inspire a rousing rendition of it. Recommended.
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