Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type Reviews

• Inspired bovine silliness for preschoolers and parents

  
  By AJ1ZEMJSJYDOC on 2000-07-03
  The utter absurdity of the premise - cows that type? - led me to flip through this book, and then to purchase it. My 2 1/2 year old loves it, and appreciates the whimsy and incongruity of the plot: Farmer Brown's cows find a typewriter and type out a demand letter for electric blankets, leading to a comical negotiation to end a milk strike. The illustrations are charming and funny (I especially love the expressions on the cows' faces as they wait for Farmer Brown to respond to their notes), and the droll text is just simple enough, with just enough repetition, to keep the younger set hooked. As a lawyer, I got a kick out of the "dispute resolution" - sadly, many of my colleagues don't negotiate half as well as the bovines in this book.
  
  

• Cows that Counter the Stereotypes in this Award Winner

  
  By A1K1JW1C5CUSUZ on 2001-02-04
  Click, Clack, Moo recently won the Caldecott award, and is very deserving of that honor. I enthusiastically endorse it for your children aged from 2 through 6. This book will be considered a classic children's tale within five years.

  Many great children's books start from the point of view of role reversals. You take objects or animals and make them be like humans. But no one could have developed a funnier idea along those lines than having typing cows who lead a general strike on a farm.

  "Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type."

  "All day long he hears. Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety clack, moo."

  "At first, he couldn't believe his ears."

  But it gets worse. One day he receives a typewritten note that says:

  "Dear Farmer Brown,

  The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets.

  Sincerely,

  The Cows"

  Farmer Brown makes the mistake of treating the cows like cows. He tells them, "No way." They type up a note and put it on the barn door. "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today."

  The next day, another note appeared.

  "Dear Farmer Brown,

  The hens are cold too. They'd like electric blankets.

  Sincerely,

  The Cows"

  The negotiations continue toward a hilarious conclusion.

  Each of these letters to Farmer Brown cannot help but inspire gales of uncontrollable laughter among your tykesters. The ending may actually cause laughter-induced pain because it is so hilarious.

  The illustrations are particularly appealing. Ms. Lewin has drawn them to be large in features, vivid, bold, and colorful. They make the story more intense by capturing both a sense of movement and the personality of the characters. This is one of the best illustrated stories I have ever seen for preschoolers. That is important, because the illustrations carry a heavy burden as you first read this story to your child. No one has ever seen a typing cow, so the illustrations help fill in the gaps. Naturally, you will see opportunities to handle side issues like "how would a cow type, if a cow could type?"

  Interestingly, Ms. Cronin is an attorney who also collects antique typewriters. Anyone who has ever been part of a labor negotiation will quickly recognize the universal truths around which she has structured this delightful story. I suspect that she has been part of one or two.

  After you and your child become familiar with the story, I suggest that you think together about what is the right thing to do with regard to animals who do not send you typewritten letters. It is never too early for children to learn about each person's responsibility to live in harmony with our fellow creatures and to properly care for them.

  May you always be clear about what you are looking for! Who knows? You may even get it.
  
  

• first-rate read-aloud

  
  By on 2000-03-01
  I heard "CLICK CLACK MOO" read aloud on National Public Radio and knew I had to have this book. Educational (the art of negotiation!), entertaining (animal sounds the young ones will enjoy)and clever, this one is a cross between Dr. Seuss and Gary Larsen's Far Side. Well written with hilarious illustrations. Don't pass this one by.
  
  

• You'll laugh out loud...

  
  By on 2001-01-21
  I'm 31-years-old and and am proud to say this is currently my most favorite book. It's absolutely hilarious and a delight to read! I laugh out loud every time I read it. The illustrations are quite striking, too. If you haven't taken the time to examine the illustrations closely, you may want to do so. You'll find some little surprises. My sister, a speech language pathologist (and former preschool teacher like myself), reads this book to her students. As I understand it, it's reportedly good for both articulation exercises as well as language development. Best of all, the kids simply love the story. My sister loved the book so much she insisted I read it. I did so, loved it, and consequently held it for "ransom." The majority of my psych colleagues and I even had a midday storytime to share this book with one another. ;) As a former preschool teacher, I can guarantee this book will be a sure-fire attention-getter with kids. As it stands, I consider my library incomplete until I get a copy of this book for my own. I can't wait until Ms. Cronin and Ms. Lewin bless us with another one of their wonderful stories. This book ranks right up there with the Dumb Bunnies in terms of wit and surprise illustrations. Happy reading and laughing!
  
  

• Duck Was a Neutral Party

  
  By A2I6MHMAZZDCRX on 2002-06-26
  The cows on Farmer Brown's farm have discovered a typewriter. Soon, they're leaving notes for him demanding blankets to keep warm. But when he refuses to give in, they go on strike. Can a solution be found to return the cows to work?

  This book is loads of fun. Read with the right seriousness, even adults will burst out laughing. Young kids will love the silly story line and wonderful illustrations.

  This is a fun book that will become a bedtime favorite. Get it for your kids today. You'll both be glad you did.
  
  

• Great Book!
  By on 2000-02-21
  CLICK, CLACK, MOO COWS THAT TYPE is outstanding. Doreen Cronin's snappy and punchy writing makes for a great read aloud! The surprise ending is crafty too! As a classroom resource, students can study onomatopoeia, letter writing and surprise endings. Teachers! Have your students take on the voice of another farm or zoo animal and write a letter demanding some creative luxury too! Betsy Lewin's pictures work well with the text. She even provides an artist's note about how she accomplished the effects in the book! All around, a unique and creative picture book!
  
  
• Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type
  By A4HQV4BPW9V9F on 2001-12-01
  Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type is a very funny book about a herd of cows that happen to stumble overa typewriter one day. Farmer Brown can't believe it when he relizes that his cows can type. To make matters worse they begin to demand electric blankets to keep warm. Farmer Brown refuses to comply, but then the chickens get in on the act too. By the end of the book Farmer Brown is so tired of not having any eggs or milk because of the animals being on strike, he decides to give in to their requests.
  This story is filled with vibrant pictures of farmland and farm animals. THe pictures are comical and just plain funny looking. They add so much life to the story that if the words weren't there the pictures could do all the talking.
  This book would be good for beginning readers. The words are simple and in large print which makes it easy to read.
  The setting of the book is in a farmyard with cows, chickens, and ducks all standing around. It shows where the animals live and where they eat. The plot is basically the animals demanding items and then receiving them after going on strike. This book is so funny how it shows the typewriter being passed around from one animal to the next making their demands.
  I would recommend this book to all children!
  
  
• My Son's Laughter
  By A1UVSRVSCV60PY on 2001-10-25
  Farmer Brown has a serious problem. His progressive cows are typing notes demanding electric blankets...or no milk! My 3 year old son's laughter at this book is contagious. It has spread to my almost 2 year old daughter who yells, "Moo!" from her crib. My 11 and 10 year old daughters readily volunteer to read it to the little ones so they can have the excuse of hearing the story and giggling for themselves. My husband and I chuckle from our room when we hear the peals of laughter coming from my son's room. In my opinion, Doreen Cronin has created a classic. This is one book that definitely needs to be added to the family library.
  
  
• "Animal Farm" Meets "Babe" Meets "Wallace & Gromit"
  By on 2001-05-13
  This book is hilarious!! As a writer, I picked up _Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type_ quite by accident (it was featured in the NYPL's Library Store) and was thoroughly entertained for a good 5 minutes. It's a book you'd want to read again and again, whether to a youngster or to yourself. It's got all the elements of a good story: repetition, suspense, humor (I loved how the duck was a neutral party), and a surprise ending. Those cows have got real personality--though I have to say the farmer was drawn a little too unsympathetically. All in all this is a great book for anyone who needs a laugh. What kid wouldn't bug her parents for a typewriter of her own after reading _Cows That Type_? A great book that encourages writing, creativity, the art of persuasion, and the power of the individual voice (or in this case, the collective voice!).
  
  
• Thumbs up for the cows
  By on 2000-02-25
  Obviously written by a skilled negotiator, this story of manipulative and intelligent animals is clever and fun to read. The writer has a wonderful ability to add humor and irony to a book designed for children. (Although as an adult, I loved it too!) The illustrations are beautiful as well. I highly recommend this book
  
  
• Terrific!
  By A3KCMEJTRQHNAP on 2000-10-30
  Farmer Brown is amazed when he realizes his cows have found an old typewriter and are using it. All day long he hears, Click Clack Moo, Click Clack Moo. Then, one day the cows leave a note tacked to the barn door demanding electric blankets...it's cold at night in the barn. Farmer Brown says, NO! The next day, the cows go on strike...NO MILK until we get the blankets. Pretty soon the typing begins again and this time the note tacked to the barn door asks for more electric blankets...the hens are cold too. When Farmer Brown ignores their demands, they go on strike with the cows. NO MILK, NO EGGS. Farmer Brown is beginning to panic. How can he run a farm with the cows and chickens on strike? So he gets out his trusty typewriter and writes a note, telling the cows and hens that he'll give them the blankets, if they turn over their typewriter. The note is delivered by a neutral party, the duck. An agreement is reached and Farmer Brown waits for the duck to bring him the cow's typewriter. Instead he begins to hear, Click Clack Quack, Click Clack Quack! Betsy Cronin has written a very funny, witty story that will amuse and delight your whole family. Her simple, silly story line is complimented perfectly, by Betsy Lewin's charming, expressive illustrations and youngsters will be laughing out loud at the antics of these farm animals. This is a great, imaginative book for kids aged 4-7 and a wonderful addition to all home libraries.
  
  
• Click Clack Moo - solidarity for all ages
  By A2XPPE3E87FRYA on 2000-04-29
  This is a wonderfully written book with great illustrations. I saw the review and wanted to get it for my union local's library. Everyone who's read it (so far, no one under the age of 30) thinks it's great - funny, witty, and frank! A clear explanation about the power of solidarity! A must read for all ages. Here's my guilty confession: it's fun to read out loud. I found that out by reading it to my husband!
  
  *Edit - several years later* I now have a child, 3 1/2, and she loves the whole series of Doreen Cronin books, Cows that Type, Ducks that Giggle and run for President. Dr. Seuss, Doreen Cronin's books and the Eloise series are a great start to any child's library.
  
  
• A Must Read
  By on 2001-08-21
  We were first introduced to this book on the PBS show Between the Lions. My 3 & 5 year old instantly fell in love with the book. They thought the animals going on strike was hilarious. They especially loved the ending with the ducks. Whenever my children ask me to read it again as soon as I've finished reading, it's a hit! This book is also good for my 5 year old as he is learning to read. Wonderful illustrations and repeative wording.
  
  
• Union Propaganda
  By on 2001-10-10
  OK, the book is cute, but the reason that it has received such acclaim and honor is because it celebrates and encourages Union activity. Certainly the media would not have fallen in love with this book if farmer brown turned the ungrateful, inefficient and pampered cows into hamburger and drumsticks and replaced them with more appreciative, hard working, and efficient cows and chickens. Or would it have received the same media and literary praise if it showed that farmer brown had to move his farm to Mexico or lay off farm hands because the increased electrical costs caused by the cows and chickens made his farm uncompetitive?
  
  
• what a hoot!
  By AYDY8EDHQ0DM3 on 2000-11-01
  i heard this book being read on npr and had to buy it. The story is funny and simple. and, of course, the kids really like the "click, clack, moo" part - which is repeated just enough for the kids to enjoy it but not so much that it drives the parents crazy! i once heard that the best books to buy for your children are ones that you like, too, and this one definately qualifies.
  
  
• 6 year old girl's review
  By A1ZF9GRHVX2ALJ on 2001-11-26
  I think it is funny, and I think it is cool because the cows type funny letters to Farmer Brown. "Dear Farmer Brown, we do not like the barn because it is cold, we would like electric blankets to keep us warm." The story is about the animals trying to get funny things from Farmer Brown. I want to buy the book because it is so so funny!
  
  
• for parents too
  By AITA267WBOGSZ on 2000-02-21
  our 2 year-old loves this book. the pictures are great. the story is hilarious. I read click clack moo to my son 8 times yesterday, and I am looking forward to reading it to him again!
  
  
• Hilarious children's book
  By A25MEFBYCFZ8VQ on 2001-04-12
  I just found this book when I was looking for a Book-of-the Month selection that our Jacksonville Agricultural Fair could sponsor next Fall and I think this is it! Although the content is not about a Fair, but about this farmer's cows who type, it still sets the stage for a school-wide focus on this book. I am sure imaginative teachers will find more ways than we can imagine to relate this to going to the Fair. Our goal is to help the schools meet America's Choice standards, but to also expose an urban student population to animals and other activities at the fair. The story line reads outloud in a wonderful way. I read it to my husband and we both laughed. Another reviewer said that if adults can laugh this much, children will surely love this book. PS: Two elementary principals also were choosing this book at the same time I was, and I trust their judgement about this being a great book--across the ages of all elementary.
  
  
• Cows That Type---and Make You Squeal with Laughter
  By on 2000-03-29
  This is one of those wonderful ventures where the marriage of story and pictures is perfect. The wacky, sophisticated humor is terrifically appealing, and the story delivers a gentle message about fairness and the power of words. The watercolor wash drawings have a lovely, fresh messiness that really make the book a visual treat. And the brief story is sweetly charming without ever becoming kiddie-cute.

  I'm a visual artist by trade and I loved this book because it made me laugh. A lot.
  
  

• A great book!
  By A3NBWA4YN0O7DL on 2000-03-06
  First, I should confess... I'm 34 years old, childless, and working on my second masters degree. In other words, I wasn't the author's target audience. That said... The text is fun and the pictures are outstanding! I'm buying copies for all my friends' kids (plus one for me!).

  P.S. If you want to hear a wonderful reading of the book go to www.npr.org and search by "cow that type"... you can listen to Scott Simon and Daniel Pinkwater do a great reading of the book. But then get the book since the pictures make it that much more wonderful.
  
  

• Click, Clack, Moovelous
  By A16YNZF8TJ2NE0 on 2000-03-10
  Life is a compromise. In order to get ahead, one must be prepared to give a little. Click, Clack, Moo not only successfully illustrates that very notion, but does so in a very amusing yet endearing manner. This book must be included in our bedtime reading. Both of my daughters, ages one and three, "moo" along the story. My girls love this book. (I love anything that makes them happy.) I have read it to them countless times and each time their reaction is filled with the same enthusiasm as it was at the first reading.
  
  
• Delightful book!
  By ACLSB702RPUMZ on 2001-03-23
  Grabbed this book at the library, not expecting much. My 2 year old son instantly loved the pictures. As I read it to my 6 year old daughter, we laughed out loud at the funny pictures, and she immediately asked if I would read it again. The second time through, we took turns reading the "Moo" chorus repeated every couple of pages. She, again immediately, read it again, this time to my husband.

  A wonderful story, a fun and funny book, completely enjoyable for all members of our family!
  
  

• Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type
  By A18UXNKB7JZY9S on 2001-11-19
  My daughter, who just turned two, couldn't get enough of the pictures in Click, Clack, Moo from the minute she saw this book. Although she has lots of books, she insists on reading Click, Clack, Moo over and over again. As she falls asleep for a nap or at night, she will recite the story whether she is looking at the book or not! It will be a few years before she understands some of the more sophisticated humor, but she sure finds it hysterical that cows can type. I recommend this book for those under age four who like to read.
  
  
• A great book, easily a favorite
  By on 2001-12-03
  With my wife having been a preschool teacher before our baby, our house is full of books. I do not have as much knowledge about children's books as she, but I have learned that I can usually not go wrong if there is a shiny "Caldecott" sticker on the front. I bought this book while in the hospital recently, with the birth of our first child. It is utterly fantastic. This book filled us all up with hearty laughter. Although my son is too young to get his review, I think I can safely say he will love it. If you are looking to fill your child's shelf with great books, this is a definite must have.
  
  
• An Important Book for All Ages
  By A1COTAFBM7E5ZT on 2002-01-25
  'Click Clack Moo' is a book that dares to ask the question, "What if cows got hold of a typewriter?" The result is a chilling vision of a dystopia where cows rule through fear and intimidation. Only one man, Farmer Brown, finds the courage to challenge the cows' dominance. He allies with a group of ducks to help end the reign of terror - but has he truly found a solution, or does the conspiracy run even deeper than he suspected?

  This book is ideal as a sort of introduction to the works of George Orwell. Upon completion of 'Click Clack Moo', a child is ready to explore the themes of the book in Orwell's 'Animal Farm' and '1984'...
  
  

• Extremely disappointing.
  By A2B21POKQ3N09H on 2002-02-04
  The book is mildly amusing, but that's about it. I was very disappointed as the premise held such promise. But the book is overly repetitive (how many times do you have to say Click Clack Moo before it dtrarts to grate? Ferwe than are required by the text, that's for sure), the drawings are not very impressive (too many are too dark and amorphous) and the story, such as it is, doesn't amount to much.

  I think most kid's at the lower end of the target age range will like it OK, but for the life of me I can't imagine how anyone familiar with any of the classics of literature aimed at this age group could ever regard this as that sort of effort. It's mediocre at best.

  If you want a great book for this target age get Courduroy, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Gregory the Terrible Eater or Bailer Goes Camping--all much better stories that are far less expensive than this book.
  
  

• Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry
  By AMX0PJKV4PPNJ on 2004-02-16
  Understatement is not lost on children. Neither is subtlety (though you probably wouldn't know it when a 2-year old has decided to tell you "the funniest knock knock joke ever"). The creation of an effective picture book for small children has a variety of different tacks it can take, subtle being the most difficult. But "Click, Clack, Moo", is beyond sublime, and it gets away with it too. In it, author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin have penned a delightful story about some dexterous cows with simple demands. In this tale, Farmer Brown's cows have gotten ahold of a typewriter. Now equipped with the means with which they can express themselves, the cows demand electric blankets forthwith. Farmer Brown demurs (by throwing a small fit) so the cows join up with the chickens in demanding blankets for the chickens as well. In the end, a solution is reached and all parties are satisfied with the outcome.

  There is a single moment in this book that was, to me, the height of sophistication. After hearing the cows demands, Farmer Brown types up a letter of refusal. We next see a two-page spread of the long road to the barn. A white duck, oversized letter in beak and a left foot poised in the air, walks alone. The text reads, "Duck was a neutral party, so he brought the ultimatum to the cows". I love using the term neutral party in a picture book. I love that extravagant and elaborate word "ultimatum" bandied about a barnyard tale. Every children's book should be so lucky as to have a moment such as this.

  Honestly, though I enjoyed the pictures I was not overwhelmed by them. Betsy Levin's style is a simple watercolor utilizing thick black lines and wide open-eyed expressions. That's all well and good, but in some ways I wanted to see something a little more interesting. But that's just me. This book is a fun romp into "what if" territory. Read aloud well, it could capture many a youngsters attention again and again and again.
  
  

• Union Organizing for Preschoolers!
  By A2RA2TP6YFH4Z5 on 2000-05-07
  I love this book. It's hilarious, it's simple, and it's political. What a fantastic concept. Both of my girls love it (they're 6 and 9 yrs old) and it's a fantastic way to segue into a discussion of labor injustice. Amazing.
  
  
• Humor for kids and adults!
  By AHW4TXZ5L9XXE on 2001-11-23
  I am a 31 year-old aspiring children's writer and I tend to spend a good amount of time reading children's books at local bookstores to keep up on the styles that are being published.

  I sat down in a very tiny chair at a very tiny table surrounded by parents with their kids and began to read Click, Clack Moo. With each page I laughed harder and harder and I'm sure people thought I was mad! I didn't care. This book makes wonderful use of vocabulary and humorous illustrations. I'm buying a copy for a niece this year and will probably end up getting a second one for myself. This book has no age boundaries. It is WONDERFUL.
  
  

• Click Clack moo
  By on 2004-09-27
  We really enjoyed this book it's a book for everyone. We read this book to our reading buddy's and they loved it. Their faces lit up with joy. Our favorite part of the book is at the end when the ducks asked the farmer for a diving board [that made us laugh!] We recommend this book to lots of little kids because it is good for kids who are just learning to read.
  
  (...)