Cows go boo! by Steve Webb, illustrated by Fred Blunt

There's a point for most kids, moving from toddler to preschooler, where they can start picking up on humor and a very common form of that is the unexpected twist to a familiar refrain. Kids delight in the unexpected, once they've learned the way things "should" go. This book takes the familiar thread of animal sounds and throws in the unexpected.

On Farmer George's farm, all the animals say the right things - pigs say "oink," ducks say "quack," sheep say "baa," and the cows say... BOO! Each set of animal noises ends with the cows jumping out of hiding, until Farmer George thinks he's found a way to put them to use... but has he? Close examination will show a cow tail winding across the background and hinting at their hiding place in each picture.

Even older kids will find themselves giggling at the bumptious cows and the hapless farmer, and this is an ideal storytime book.

Verdict: A must for storytime, this British import is sure to please your toddler audiences and adults will find it giggle-worthy as well. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781728438917; Published 2021 by Andersen Press USA; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to the library's order list