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Farmer Brown's Barnyard Tales
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
The quirky, hilarious farmyard tale that started it all from New York Times bestselling duo of Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin! Now the inspiration for a new Christmas special, CLICK, CLACK, Christmas on the 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.
But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes....
Doreen Cronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.
Farmer Brown
has a problem.
His cows like to type.
All day long he hears
Click, clack, MOO.
Click, clack, MOO.
Clickety, clack, MOO.
But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes....
Doreen Cronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1999
About the author
Doreen Cronin
99 books423 followersDoreen Cronin was a practicing attorney in Manhattan when her first book Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type became a publishing success. But her book was not published overnight. In fact, she had written this barnyard tale even before attending law school but only received rejection letters from publishers. Five years after submitting the original manuscript she got a call from a publisher who wanted to turn her story into a book and the rest is history!
The busy life of a writer left no room for courtroom litigation and arbitration so Doreen made the leap to being a full-time children’s book author. She then teamed up once again with illustrator Betsy Lewin to write another hilarious barnyard tale, Giggle, Giggle, Quack, that continues the escapades of these lovable animals on a farm.
In Doreen’s latest book, Diary of a Worm, she explores the daily life of a lovable worm. Who knew that the underground dwellings and activities of worms could be so funny? Readers may even find that worm’s life is much the same as theirs except worm eats his homework and his head looks a whole lot like his rear!
Doreen was born in Queens and grew up in Long Island. She graduated from Pennsylvannia State University and St. John’s University School of Law. She currently resides in New York with her husband and dog “Ruffie.”
The busy life of a writer left no room for courtroom litigation and arbitration so Doreen made the leap to being a full-time children’s book author. She then teamed up once again with illustrator Betsy Lewin to write another hilarious barnyard tale, Giggle, Giggle, Quack, that continues the escapades of these lovable animals on a farm.
In Doreen’s latest book, Diary of a Worm, she explores the daily life of a lovable worm. Who knew that the underground dwellings and activities of worms could be so funny? Readers may even find that worm’s life is much the same as theirs except worm eats his homework and his head looks a whole lot like his rear!
Doreen was born in Queens and grew up in Long Island. She graduated from Pennsylvannia State University and St. John’s University School of Law. She currently resides in New York with her husband and dog “Ruffie.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,378 reviews
September 12, 2021
This is one of my daughter's favorite books right now. Obviously it's because of the ease in which it helps in understanding the difficulties of labor disputes and the social political climate in which they can rise.
…
Or maybe it's because the cows, chickens and ducks are funny.
Either way, an entertaining children's book that brings a laugh to her. Moderately amusing as an adult to read and with many opportunities to do fun voices. Also a good moral in terms of never trusting ducks (learned from many a picnic where they stole bread, now the lesson is easier than ever in book form). 4/5 stars
…
Or maybe it's because the cows, chickens and ducks are funny.
Either way, an entertaining children's book that brings a laugh to her. Moderately amusing as an adult to read and with many opportunities to do fun voices. Also a good moral in terms of never trusting ducks (learned from many a picnic where they stole bread, now the lesson is easier than ever in book form). 4/5 stars
September 14, 2016
Perhaps the most comprehensive book ever written on understanding labor dispute.
July 17, 2019
This book cracked me up. I don’t think the artwork is worthy of a Caldecott, but the story is wonderful. Doreen has a wicked sense of humor.
A group of cows found a typewriter in the barn and they are typing up letters of demands to the farmer. When the farmer finds the notes, he gets angry and the cows go on strike and will not milk any longer. Then the hens go on strike as the cows are typing for them. The farmer is so angry at his animals. Anyway, all they want is electric blankets for the cold nights - that’s it.
A duck acts as diplomat and gets the blankets for the animals. It’s a beginning book that is simple, to the point and so funny. I loved it.
The kids thought it was funny too. The nephew gave this 5 stars. He thought the cows were hilarious. He said he was going to type up some demands. Oh boy. The niece thought this was funny too and she gave this 3 stars. She said it was cute.
A group of cows found a typewriter in the barn and they are typing up letters of demands to the farmer. When the farmer finds the notes, he gets angry and the cows go on strike and will not milk any longer. Then the hens go on strike as the cows are typing for them. The farmer is so angry at his animals. Anyway, all they want is electric blankets for the cold nights - that’s it.
A duck acts as diplomat and gets the blankets for the animals. It’s a beginning book that is simple, to the point and so funny. I loved it.
The kids thought it was funny too. The nephew gave this 5 stars. He thought the cows were hilarious. He said he was going to type up some demands. Oh boy. The niece thought this was funny too and she gave this 3 stars. She said it was cute.
November 17, 2015
Hey! French fellows!
You don't understand this review? Check this. You're welcome.
All in all, an hilarious and original book. It gave bad ideas to my pupils though. Oh, well. Better now than never. We must preserve our reputation after all.
PS. I always knew ducks weren't worthy of trust. Just saying.
January 19, 2009
All of my kids have loved this one! Especially the ending where Duck takes off with the typewriter!
August 26, 2008
HA HA! Workers of the world unite! I'm not sure how I accidentally checked out this book on how to explain union movements to your toddler, but this was a h-i-l-a-r-i-o-u-s, bizarre, and unexpected read.
December 24, 2019
This was a free library giveaway and we loved it! These smart cows that show the pen is mightier than the sword, in this case typewriter.
It was funny. The kids and I giggled a bit. I think it shows kids it is never too late to learn something new and that you can fight for justice (or electric blankets) no matter your size or circumstance. Enjoyable.
Click, clack, MOO!!!
It was funny. The kids and I giggled a bit. I think it shows kids it is never too late to learn something new and that you can fight for justice (or electric blankets) no matter your size or circumstance. Enjoyable.
Click, clack, MOO!!!
March 10, 2018
Somebody make me stop laughing.
Cows that type were hard to find, actually impossible. Until this book came into existence. I thanked the writers that this time they made the ducks play a neutral role but did they really?
Ducks cannot be trusted, right?
Plunge straight into this hilarious one.
P.S. We're closed. No milk today.
Cows that type were hard to find, actually impossible. Until this book came into existence. I thanked the writers that this time they made the ducks play a neutral role but did they really?
Ducks cannot be trusted, right?
Plunge straight into this hilarious one.
P.S. We're closed. No milk today.
October 30, 2007
You gotta watch out for those smart cows. Once they realize their power over farmers, there is no end to what they might ask for. Room service. Extra towels. Facials. And you know what THAT means - the price of ice cream will skyrocket!
Never let a cow near a typewriter, that's all I'm saying.
Never let a cow near a typewriter, that's all I'm saying.
February 5, 2017
This book is absolutely hilarious! I may have an infantile sense of humour but this book made me laugh like a deranged milkman. It reminded me of the sort of thing Spike Milligan used to write.
The illustrations are also rather wonderful, in a Quentin Blake-ish style. Fantastic book. Every child should have this on their bookshelf.
The illustrations are also rather wonderful, in a Quentin Blake-ish style. Fantastic book. Every child should have this on their bookshelf.
March 25, 2009
Amusing though smacked a little too much of labor strikes and typical corporate bad guys vs. dissatisfied workers for my taste... I know, I know, it is a kids book, though, and it IS hilarious to think of those cows click-clack-mooing away in the barn! :-)
January 20, 2024
BANGER! TEACH THE CHILDREN TO UNIONIZE!
June 3, 2016
I want to give this book five stars. It's so fun to read and the artwork is wonderful. But the little 17-month old in whose library it now belongs, is a little slow to warm up to new books. So I'm withholding a star until he responds to it the way he does to Little Blue Truck and Go, Dogs, Go!
June 23, 2017
I wonder how cows managed to type with their reduced number of digits and no opposable thumbs. At least the hens or the messenger duck could have used the hunt and peck method, but apparently this did not occur until later in the book. This book was written in the year 2000. One wonders why the farm animals did not use computers; with a decent voice recognition software, they might have avoided the awkwardness and tedium of typing altogether.
June 8, 2016
Smart cows! Really fun :)
March 1, 2009
Author: Doreen Cronin
Illustrator: Betsy Lewin
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Publication Info: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing : 2000
Reading Level: Ages 4-8; Early Reader
Topic/Theme: Animal Rights/ Strike
Issues Addressed: Whether animals should be given rights on the farm. Does the farmer have the right to keep the animals produce? Social issues: stereotypical farmer and farm setting
Classroom Uses: Read Aloud, Individual Reading, Shared Reading
Summary: The animals on the farm find a typewriter. They start to send the farmer messages. They demand to have electric blankets because the barn is cold at night. They eventually go on strike and refuse to give their milk or eggs. The duck is the mediator in the story.
Text and image: The illustrations are phenomenal. The text and the images correlate wonderfully together. The text is written in an interactive manner. By the end of the book the children are mooing along with the "click, clack, moooo". They always get a chuckle out of the "click, clack, quack" at the end of the book. The text is engaging and comical. You do not expect the duck to choose a side, being that he is the mediator.
Literary Devices: irony (duck), allusion (strike and worker's rights), onomatopoeia (click, clack moo)
Illustrator: Betsy Lewin
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Publication Info: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing : 2000
Reading Level: Ages 4-8; Early Reader
Topic/Theme: Animal Rights/ Strike
Issues Addressed: Whether animals should be given rights on the farm. Does the farmer have the right to keep the animals produce? Social issues: stereotypical farmer and farm setting
Classroom Uses: Read Aloud, Individual Reading, Shared Reading
Summary: The animals on the farm find a typewriter. They start to send the farmer messages. They demand to have electric blankets because the barn is cold at night. They eventually go on strike and refuse to give their milk or eggs. The duck is the mediator in the story.
Text and image: The illustrations are phenomenal. The text and the images correlate wonderfully together. The text is written in an interactive manner. By the end of the book the children are mooing along with the "click, clack, moooo". They always get a chuckle out of the "click, clack, quack" at the end of the book. The text is engaging and comical. You do not expect the duck to choose a side, being that he is the mediator.
Literary Devices: irony (duck), allusion (strike and worker's rights), onomatopoeia (click, clack moo)
October 7, 2008
A book about the power of literacy and effective communication, told with great humor.
October 13, 2016
Silly and funny. Definitely a book that lends itself to audio very well.
May 9, 2019
This was funny. The cows looked so cute.
September 15, 2021
Why I gift this book: It’s Debate 101, toddler edition!
June 27, 2022
You had me at typing cows and formal complaints. This book was absolutely adorable and the farmer was a legit goat. I really enjoyed reading this story to my son last night so much I read it again for myself.
Happy reading everyone !!
Happy reading everyone !!
July 7, 2009
We've all heard that the "pen is mightier than the sword" and "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," well in Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, Farmer Brown learns firsthand just how true these adages are when his cows find a typewriter in the barn and demand better treatment.
When Farmer Brown first hears the click-clack sounds coming from the barn, he tries digging out the wax buildup in his ears because cows can't type!
But these cows can, and they nail their demands on the barn wall:
Dear Farmer Brown,
The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets.
Sincerely,
The Cows
Farmer Brown will not give in to their demands, so they go on strike and withhold their milk. It's not long before the hens feel the chill in the barn and join the strike.
This puts Farmer Brown in a tizzy because every fool knows you can't run a farm with no milk and no aiggs! So he dusts off his own typewriter and bangs out a letter reminding the cows and hens that they are animals and he demands that they produce for him.
Eventually the two sides come to an agreement, and peace returns to the farm. That is until Duck feels empowered to make his own demands known. Seems what the boring pond has always needed is a diving board.
Click, Clack, Moo rightly received a Caldecott Award in 2001 and was named one of the Best Children's Book by Publisher's Weekly.
When Farmer Brown first hears the click-clack sounds coming from the barn, he tries digging out the wax buildup in his ears because cows can't type!
But these cows can, and they nail their demands on the barn wall:
Dear Farmer Brown,
The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets.
Sincerely,
The Cows
Farmer Brown will not give in to their demands, so they go on strike and withhold their milk. It's not long before the hens feel the chill in the barn and join the strike.
This puts Farmer Brown in a tizzy because every fool knows you can't run a farm with no milk and no aiggs! So he dusts off his own typewriter and bangs out a letter reminding the cows and hens that they are animals and he demands that they produce for him.
Eventually the two sides come to an agreement, and peace returns to the farm. That is until Duck feels empowered to make his own demands known. Seems what the boring pond has always needed is a diving board.
Click, Clack, Moo rightly received a Caldecott Award in 2001 and was named one of the Best Children's Book by Publisher's Weekly.
September 23, 2013
What a funny little book! I read Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type yesterday with 5 year old Abby and 3 year old Emma, my neighbor’s granddaughters.
After the first few pages Abby started to giggle and said she knew what the cows were typing. “They want some electric blankets!”
She had read this book at school and remembered it almost word for word! Both girls laughed uproariously all the way to the end of the book. Then I kept hearing “Again! Again! Read it again!”
The drawings are funny and the story is outrageous. What young child doesn’t like funny animal stories! I’m not surprised that this book earned a Caldicott Honor.
After the first few pages Abby started to giggle and said she knew what the cows were typing. “They want some electric blankets!”
She had read this book at school and remembered it almost word for word! Both girls laughed uproariously all the way to the end of the book. Then I kept hearing “Again! Again! Read it again!”
The drawings are funny and the story is outrageous. What young child doesn’t like funny animal stories! I’m not surprised that this book earned a Caldicott Honor.
June 20, 2013
Not so much a preschool aged book as for older children. My 5 yr old got a kick out of it and paid attention throughout. The illustrations were adorable and I could see us getting a copy of this and reading it again in the future. Simple story line that had everyone laughing.
June 23, 2016
Who doesn't like cows with "tudes"?!
June 1, 2022
کتاب، طنز شیرین و سادهای داره. ماجرای گاوهایی که هر روز مطالباتشون از کشاورز رو تایپ میکنن و میزنن پشت در طویله. مناسب برای بچههای ۷ تا ۹ سال
November 30, 2023
A delightful introduction to organized labor and work stoppages.
August 23, 2017
QUYỂN SÁCH CÁCH MẠNG
Bò đánh máy mở đường cho con gái đến với thế giới sách nói chung và sách ít chữ nhiều tranh đẹp mê ly nói riêng. Ờ thì dù chưa biết chữ nhưng con nghe mẹ đọc vậy chắc cũng không khác mấy với mẹ nghe sách nói.
Mẹ đã cố gắng nhập vai tốt nhất có thể, đầu tiên là bò, sau đó là vịt. Một lần, hai lần còn thú vị, chứ đến lần thứ n - khi mà trang sách đã khá nhàu rồi á - thì mẹ chả thích thú gì nữa, vì cứ phải b ò ò ò, b ò ò ò, b ò ò ò..., quạc, quạc, quạc... liên tục thôi. Con gái hãy mau lên lớp một để tự đọc ngôn ngữ của bọn bò và vịt nhé.
Bây giờ viết đôi ba dòng cho quyển sách thì có hơi muộn rồi. Vì sao ư? Vì giờ mẹ và con đã có rất nhiều cuốn sách tranh khác để so sách. Đặt nó và Trái tim của mẹ lên bàn cân thì, nội dung - nó nhỉnh hơn một chút chỉnh (thật ra là nhiều hơn một chút), hình thức - nó lép vế một tí teo (chính xác là chỉ nhiêu đó thôi).
Sau này có thể tự mình trò chuyện với sách, con sẽ thấy điều đó, điều khác biệt về nội dung ấy. Chứ giờ mẹ nói thì cũng mất hay đi. Quyển này có mấy chữ đâu mà mẹ đã viết đến chừng này rồi lại thêm chừng nữa thì chắc các bạn khác không còn hứng thú đọc Bò đánh máy đâu con ạ.
(Có điều, nếu nói thì ngắn dọn thế này: Bò đánh máy là đồng minh của Chuyện ở nông trại. Dòng này thì dành cho các bạn mẹ, con không cần bận tâm nghen.)
Giờ thì mẹ chỉ xin nói nhỏ với con rằng thì là mà mẹ thấy nét vẽ hơi bị không đẹp nha, theo kiểu nguệch ngoạc ngô nghê con ạ. Và vì mẹ con ta không am hiểu gì về hội họa nên cứ xì xầm thế này thôi nhá. Có khi đó là tuyệt tác, vì không thế thì sao bà Lewin lại có được tiếng vang lớn nhờ minh họa cho Bò đánh máy chứ.
Thôi, nói bấy nhiêu đủ rồi con ạ. (Có khi dư luôn.)
Bò đánh máy mở đường cho con gái đến với thế giới sách nói chung và sách ít chữ nhiều tranh đẹp mê ly nói riêng. Ờ thì dù chưa biết chữ nhưng con nghe mẹ đọc vậy chắc cũng không khác mấy với mẹ nghe sách nói.
Mẹ đã cố gắng nhập vai tốt nhất có thể, đầu tiên là bò, sau đó là vịt. Một lần, hai lần còn thú vị, chứ đến lần thứ n - khi mà trang sách đã khá nhàu rồi á - thì mẹ chả thích thú gì nữa, vì cứ phải b ò ò ò, b ò ò ò, b ò ò ò..., quạc, quạc, quạc... liên tục thôi. Con gái hãy mau lên lớp một để tự đọc ngôn ngữ của bọn bò và vịt nhé.
Bây giờ viết đôi ba dòng cho quyển sách thì có hơi muộn rồi. Vì sao ư? Vì giờ mẹ và con đã có rất nhiều cuốn sách tranh khác để so sách. Đặt nó và Trái tim của mẹ lên bàn cân thì, nội dung - nó nhỉnh hơn một chút chỉnh (thật ra là nhiều hơn một chút), hình thức - nó lép vế một tí teo (chính xác là chỉ nhiêu đó thôi).
Sau này có thể tự mình trò chuyện với sách, con sẽ thấy điều đó, điều khác biệt về nội dung ấy. Chứ giờ mẹ nói thì cũng mất hay đi. Quyển này có mấy chữ đâu mà mẹ đã viết đến chừng này rồi lại thêm chừng nữa thì chắc các bạn khác không còn hứng thú đọc Bò đánh máy đâu con ạ.
(Có điều, nếu nói thì ngắn dọn thế này: Bò đánh máy là đồng minh của Chuyện ở nông trại. Dòng này thì dành cho các bạn mẹ, con không cần bận tâm nghen.)
Giờ thì mẹ chỉ xin nói nhỏ với con rằng thì là mà mẹ thấy nét vẽ hơi bị không đẹp nha, theo kiểu nguệch ngoạc ngô nghê con ạ. Và vì mẹ con ta không am hiểu gì về hội họa nên cứ xì xầm thế này thôi nhá. Có khi đó là tuyệt tác, vì không thế thì sao bà Lewin lại có được tiếng vang lớn nhờ minh họa cho Bò đánh máy chứ.
Thôi, nói bấy nhiêu đủ rồi con ạ. (Có khi dư luôn.)
October 13, 2007
Cronin's books are fabulous - consistently funny, always imaginative, and extremely clever. Sure, they're aimed a kids, but adults will appreciate the stories as well. This is the first I read, and the characters reappear in Duck For President and Dooby Dooby Moo, both of which are great reads as well.
March 14, 2008
This is not a bilingual book, but it works very well for bilingual storytime, especially with a school-age group. This is a very popular title in English, so kids who do not speak Spanish have often read the story before and stay engaged hearing it in Spanish. The repeating "Clic, clac, muu" is the same in both languages and everyone can participate! I love using books that make parents and kids laugh together, and this is definitely one of those! Also great for print awareness.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,378 reviews