Punk Farm on Tour

October 1, 2007
PreS-Gr 2-In this sequel to "Punk Farm" (Knopf, 2005), the animals take their rock band on tour while Farmer Joe is away at a tractor conference. Sheep, Pig, Goat, Chicken, and Cow fix up an old van and hit the road, singing in barns and fields across the country. Their new hit, inspired by their journey, takes the country by storm: "The wheels on the van go round and round]all through the town." And when the van pops a tire or the engine breaks down, they just add another verse to their song. They play their final concert and rush home just ahead of Farmer Joe. The text is slight, really just an embellished version of the children's song, but the peppy acrylic illustrations triple the fun. The performers sport cool shades and funky stage accessories: Sheep wears a headband; Cow has a big chain (with cowbell) around her neck; Pig has spiked wristbands; and Goat wears (what else?) a goatee. Children will enjoy seeing this familiar song brought to life and can sing along with the verses. Pair this book with Paul O. Zelinsky's "The Wheels on the Bus" (Dutton, 1990) for a rock-and-rolling storytime."Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2008
The hard-rocking barn dwellers from [cf2]Punk Farm[cf1] exploit Farmer Joe's absence to sneak off on a U.S. tour. This time the story arc is sturdier--will they beat Farmer Joe home?--but Krosoczka still relies heavily on tiresome rock-cliche dialogue ("Chill, homie"; "Peace out, Colorado!"). The striking acrylics have verve, especially the endpapers: maps overlaid with the band members decked out in cool shades.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)