Thump, Quack, Moo

PreS-Gr 2—Duck is up to his usual mischief again in this fall-themed tale by Doreen Cronin (S. & S., 2008). Farmer Brown prepares for the annual Corn Maze Festival and enlists all the animals' help. He bribes the reluctant chickens by letting them use his hammers, and he coerces the cows with the promise of paintbrushes. Duck is uninterested in working but is assigned to build the ticket booth. Meanwhile, Farmer Brown meticulously maps out the Statue of Liberty design for the corn maze, carefully calculating, checking, and cutting. Unbeknownst to him, though, Duck sneaks into the corn field each evening with his night-vision goggles and does some sketching, measuring, counting, and cutting of his own. When the big day arrives and Farmer Brown takes a hot-air balloon ride to view his masterpiece from above, he's shocked to see Duck's nighttime alterations. Maurice England narrates and provides sound effects for this pitch-perfect fall time story, and the thickly outlined illustrations capture the spirit and mirth Duck brings to the farmyard tale.