Animal Farm Books

After reading this book for the umpteenth time (I've read it more times to myself than to my kids), I had this very strong urge to run to my computer and send off a note of appreciation to Linda Smith, the author, telling her how her book has touched me to the point of tears. When I searched for her on the internet, I realized that she wouldn't be getting my words of praise. I wanted to tell her that I think her book is one of the most beautiful children's books I ever read. She died at the age I will be next year, 41.


So, Linda, if you can hear me...Thank You for sharing the beauty of your soul with us in your book about a divine friendship between a cow and the moon. It will always be on my shelves.


Sandra W.

Have you memorized Goodnight Moon? I have. And I read Owl Moon until I could hoot with the best of them too. But, beautiful as these books are, I was looking for something else to suggest when my two daughters (ages 6 and 2) screamed, "Goodnight Moon!" for the hundredth time. I found it. When Moon Fell Down is the perfect rhyming bedtime story. In lovely prose:

"The rye smelled sweet; the night winds whirled, circling moon in a misty wreath; And he gazed in awe at the wonderous world, the sky above and the earth beneath . . ."

When Moon Fell Down tells what would happen if the moon came down to earth one night. What would he see, and how would he see it? Sometimes soothing, sometimes surprising, this book's melodic text and dreamy artwork brings a smile to my children's faces and a tear to my eye.

When Moon Fell Down is one of the most lyrical books I've read lately. Smith's words have a musical quality about them, and when you read them out loud, they give satisfaction both to the tongue and to the ear. There's also a wonderful playfulness to the story. This one is going to be a classic.

"When moon fell down one night.../Fell upon a farmer's lawn,/Rolled about in sheer delight/On fields he'd only shined upon." So begins Linda Smith's lovely picture book about a night the moon fell to earth. Having seen everything from only above for so long, the moon is eager to see the world from another vantage point. "He'd never seen the trunks of trees/Or blades below the farmer's plow./Moon didn't know a horse had knees,/But things were strangely sideways now." Moon meets up with a friendly cow and travels the night away on a delightful adventure through this small farming town, until at dawn a perturbed farmer sends both back where they belong. "Moon! he cried. This isn't right!/Cow, how dare you roam!/A moon belongs in the sky at night,/And a cow belongs at home."..... Ms Smith's evocative, rhyming text is soft, soothing and full of imagery and magic and beautifully complemented by Kathryn Brown's subdued, detailed and expressive artwork. Together, they've authored a charming bedtime story the entire family will share and enjoy, again and again. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, When Moon Fell Down is a treasure and a book that's sure to become a classic in the years ahead.

When Moon Fell Down, he could have had any kind of adventure on earth. But instead, he chooses to spend this one special night with a friendly cow, in a small town, looking at the world through a whole different perspective. As author Smith notes, "He'd never seen the trunks of trees/Or blades below the farmer's plow/ Moon didn't know a horse had knees/ But things were strangely sideways now." Not since Eugene Fields wrote Wynken, Blinken, and Nod have I read such lyrical text! At the end of Moon and Cows night of adventure, the farmer sets things straight, "Cow ran off to the bran to fret/ Moon rose above the town/ But niether one would ever forget/The night when Moon Fell Down." Brown's soft watercolors compliment Smith's soft text to create a book that feels organic and huggable. Perfect for bedtime!

THis whole series of books is wonderful. For the person who already owns the animal or new to be owner, it is a great reference book.Great for the 4Her or just wanting to learn about the critters.

I bought this for my 8 yr. old and she could not put it down. It has loads of easy to read information. I also love the book myself.

My daughter has just about every page in this book marked. She loves the easy read. I love the easy read too. It helped us get started taking care of our new "pets".

This book gave me a lot of information without overwhelming me. The other books I have bought on raising chickens frightened me away with the seeming enormity of the concept...which must be pretty simple on the whole because so many people do it...this book was great!

My very first chickens are 2 months old now, and I've referred back to this book countless times, for help with making brooder boxes, when to remove the heat lamp, buying feeders/waterers, making our coop, treating diarrhea, when to switch feeds, how to tell a cockerel from a pullet (!), to find out if panting in 90-degree weather is normal (it is), etc., etc. It may be written for kids, but it is not condescending. I appreciate the practical and have-fun approach. I just read about the different chicken sounds, and learned that the cool sound my hens make when they're happy is called "singing." Get the book!

I was so happy we ordered this on our child's Scholastic choices for the month! The illustrations are gorgeous as previous reviewers have said. They are almost kind of medieval in appearance.

The book is written in verse and has a beautiful lyrical quality to it.

Of course, the best part is the message. An angel goes to a stable and calls out some animals. Each of the animals has to choose what it will carry. It starts with the horse who chooses the strongest looking person. It then goes to a "lower" animal who chooses the good Samaritan. Although the Samaritan is good, he's not the best. The next animal chooses one of the wise men. The angel acknowledges he is wise and will discover what's at the star. The lowest animal, the donkey chooses Mary because she needs to be carried. The angel says that's the best choice as Mary is carrying the best of all. What a cute way of sharing the story of Jesus! I found myself just as entranced as my children!

This is one of the most beautiful books one could ever own. It's the story of the first Christmas told in lilting verse through the eyes of the animals. Richly illustrated with special embossed details make this book a treasure for many, many generations. I am proud to own it in my own personal collection, and will purchase many copies as Christmas gifts for my family and friends.

I gave this book to my 3 1/2 year old son for Christmas and was afraid it would be too sophisticated for him. But he loved it as much as I do because of the rhythm of the lovely poem and the absolutely gorgeous artwork with golden accents and embossed pages. A book not only to read and look at but also to "feel". It is different from the many other Christmas books and I highly recommend it.

In ancient Nazareth an angel had a riddle for the barn animals. Who was the greatest of the four travelers and which would carry him? One by one the creatures answered--the horse first picked the soldier. Two other animals answered before the donkey told the angel, "the lady waiting here who needs bearing most of all." The three other travelers and their beasts of burden followed the donkey to the stall where Jesus was born.

This retelling of the Christmas story flows gently through a simple poem. It is stunningly illustrated for young children. With thick embossed pages, and rich colors, many will buy the book for the illustrations alone. Its simple message will become a classic in many households. - Carol Stratton, Christian Book Previews.com

I was given this book as a gift. Words cannot describe how amazingly beautiful the illustrations are. The pages are high quality and textured so the kids love how it feels. The colors are vibrant and it is a nice and easily understandable version of the story of the first Christmas.

So cute! Bob hasn't learned to crow yet, so he leaves the farm to find out how. The lessons he learns away from the chicken coop prove invaluable upon his return. Fantastic, colorful, creative illustrations, a must-have for your 3 to 7 year old.

my daughter loves this book - and it is so well illustrated, written and funny even for adults

We found this book in a library visiting the grandparents, and my three-year old loved it! He thought it was hilariously funny, and we read it many many times before it was time to go home. He keeps asking about it, and now we may have to get our own copy. And I agree with previous reviewer that it is not one of those books that you dread reading over and over again. It is a cute book with nice illustrations, and with a good message as well.

Our 7 month old loves this book. She loves hearing us make the animal sounds, especially the owl's "whoo, whoo, whoo". I suspect this will be a favorite in our house for a long time.

This one makes my three year old giggle out loud. It's a cute story, with cute pictures. It's definitely a keeper. She asks me to read it almost every night, and it's a good enough read that I don't cringe when she pulls it out for the 8 millionth time.

This book is great! We have enjoyed reading it together as a family. The illustrations are incredible. Can't wait for the next book!

Brewster the Rain-Making Rooster was an incredible book with a cute and educational story accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Written for children but enjoyed by everyone who reads it. I can't wait for the follow-up book.

I recently purchased this book for my grandchild and her excitement sent me back online searching for more Professor Wigglestix books...very cute writing and pictures. I can't wait for the new one!

As an elementary teacher I'm always on the hunt for exceptional books for our reading times...on a tip from another teacher I found Brewster the Rain Makin' Rooster...my kids loved the writing and the beautiful illustrations...I highly recommend this book!

I recently presented Brewster the Rain-makin' rooster to my second grade class and it was the hit of the year...the writing is very clever with a Dr.Suess style and the artwork was very compelling to my students. I recommend this book very highly and look forward to the next book by Professor Wigglestix

This book has wondeful illustrations which compliment it's informational content. I enjoyed learning about all the different bridges, when they were built and who they were built by. I read it to a Kindergarten class and they loved the pictures and all the different kinds of bridges. I learned a lot by reading it so I know children will too.

Also a beautiful gift for an adult interested in working with craft projects, especially paper. Beautiful illustrations, with rich color, of bridges from around the world. Excellent descriptions of various bridge types from suspension to rope bridges. A book for budding engineers, future artists, but especially new readers! A far better gift to give your young nephew, niece, grandchild, or cousin than a stuffed animal.

These cut-paper illustrations of bridges are so complex and exquisite that looking at one a day is enough! Their texture and depth is astonishing. There's not a lot of text with each illustration, and that's probably just as well, but what there is is nicely designed. Add this ostensible children's book to your collection of art books.

I bought this book for myself, a professional cut paper artist, for the illustrations. The paper sculptures in this book are exquisite--some of the best I've ever seen. I took it to bed with me for days, so I could fall asleep looking at the pictures. The illustration work in this book will provide a visual feast for children and adults alike.

This is my boys' all time favorite book. Living in NY it's only natural they developed a fascination with bridges. I bought this for them when they were 3+4 yrs old. It's got wonderful illustrations. We found it quite educational too. How many 3+4yr olds do you know that can drive across a bridge in NY and tell you 'this is a steel suspension bridge'! :) Would be a huge hit with the K grade level.

This is a serious book written by the people who are pioneering the application of Physical Therapy to dogs. It is well written and organized. The authors are professors in Veterinary Medicine schools. It is not a book for light reading; it is scientifically based and detailed.

This book is a great resource for all vets who have an interest in small animal rehabilitation. Read it from cover to cover, or just pick and choose your topics. It has great protocols for post operative rehab programs, instead of the usual "cage rest and leash walks". Overall I am very pleased and have referred to it many times.

My dog tore his ACL and I was unable to locate any physical therapy exercises on the internet. After a lot of searching, I found this book listed as a reference. The book is pretty technical, but it does contain a lot of usefull information. The $100 price tag is definitely worth it. Especially considering 1 trip to a Canine Physical Therapist is $50.

This book was a recommended resource when I was taking the Canine rehab practitioner course. I used it quite often as a reference and still do in practice. It is great for the veterinary practitioner, physical therapist or the vet tech that would like to know more about how,when and why to perform physiotherapy for animals. It is quite a technical book so some knowledge of animals and anatomy is needed.

It is a good introduction book for physiotehrapists who want to extend their specialty in the canine world. There is no specific treatment protocols towards cases like post-cruciate surgery or arthritis... it describes many mode of treatments that can be employed by therapists on canine patients.
Calvin PT

I love all the Hank books, and this is a great one for the Christmas season. These books are hilarious and more important to the young reader, fun to read. I'd also check the rest of the series.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

The best mysterious book I ever read.Full of laughter.Great book for kids under 14.I wish there was more characters.

This book is very good because Hank go's fishin' with little Alfred and gets very mad at Drover because he eats the bait and while hank was yelling at Drover Hank found some of the bait and ate it. To find out if there was a fishhook attached to it read the book.

I liked the book, The Case of the Vanishing Fishhook, because it was funny. One of the funniest parts of this book was when Hank, the cowdog, ate the soap. Hank had swallowed a fishhook. Then he swallowed soap to help him spit the hook out. This is the funniest "Hank" book written by John R. Erickson. I give this book a five-star rating and I recommend that you read it immediately!

I admit it...I am definitely "hooked" on Hank's latest adventure. Here's why:

1) John Erickson gets better with each Hank volume. In each new book in this series, he fine tunes the characters, until they become more and more life-like. Although I enjoy Hank, Pete, Slim, Loper and all the other characters, Drover is my favorite...and in this adventure his true "Droverness" comes shining through. This new book is a wonderful example of Mr. Erickson's talents. It is great reading for kids of ALL ages!

2) I didn't actually count them, but it seems there are more illustrations in this book than in the previous Hank titles. Gerald Holmes really knows how to capture Hank and his cohorts in his drawings. The text is hilarious, and the illustrations really bring the book to life.

3) Hank is now being published by Puffin Books, and the book itself is a higher quality than seen before.

4) I hereby affirm and admit that I am a Hankoholic, but even if I had never read a Hank adventure before, I would enjoy this latest story immensely. This is a "must-have" for anyone who enjoys reading...

5) You may have noticed from my e-mail address that I am a big admirer of Hank. I want to let you know that I am in NO way associated with the author, illustrator or publisher of the Hank the Cowdog books. I am the fire chief in a community of about 16,000. There have been times in my career when I have had to make a tough decisions. I then ask myself, "what would Hank do in this situation?" And, he hasn't steered me wrong yet. I'm just one of Hank's biggest fans...in fact I weigh about 170 lbs. :-)

This book is a favorite bedtime book for both our 21 month old and the adults in our house. It's a really engaging and clever story, plus the text is so much fun to read aloud. We also love it because it has all the animals that our child loves to name. The illustrations are simply lovely, and we have a great time picking out the little details like the clocks on some of the pages, and who has a pet bunny. We have had this book since our child was 6 months old and I had been eagerly awaiting the day that it would be appropriate--so it's been a real treasure discovering this book!

Lively language and expressive illustrations offer something for our whole family to enjoy. Our son, who is not quite two, and also not quite ready for bed most nights, loves to laugh at the silly setups (OK, his parents totally dig the irony of fish asking for one more glass of water). Beware, the hamsters in this story totally steal the show! Perl has a fresh, fun voice and a way of making sense of the nonsensical toddler bedtime routine. Bates acrylics really jump off the page. I know this book, unlike some of our bedtime stories, will grow with our son.

This is a very funny and well-written book, as other reviewers have already noted. I also appreciate that dads are featured in the putting-to-bed rituals. Wish it came in a board format so that my little one could turn the pages more easily.

This endearing new book for pre-schoolers ranks right up there with the best of Sandra Boynton's work. A clever, silly and downright fun book about bedtime. And Bedtime with my 2 1/2 year old can be a real chore sometimes! The book is filled with all sorts of silly animals including chickens, bunnies, fish, hamsters, sheep and more. The animals all do their best to stay up past their bedtimes, told in snappy verses that kids will love.

The book is illustrated by George Bates whose style perfectly compliments Perl's text. Great new kids book by a new author that could be a classic someday!

This book has everything I want in a bedtime book. Both my kids (3 and 5) were enthralled (great rhymes; colorful fun pics with plenty of detail, but not so much that we get stuck on each page for 3 minutes.) It's the perfect length (long enough that the kids are sleepier than when we started, not so long that I'm nearly falling asleep) and it finally put to bed (pun intended) my 3 year old daughter's constant question of why she goes to bed earlier than her 5 year old brother. "The farm is just like our house!" she exclaimed when we read it. Now if only I could get their room not to look so much like the pigsty...

At first my daughter and I were not big fans of this book. It took me a few readings to learn how to incorporate my daughter's favorite sounds -- animal sounds and "clapping" to the clip-clop sounds. But now, my daughter LOVES this book! She cries when we get to the end of the book and I usually end up reading it to her more than once. The repetition is great in that she is learning to identify each of the five animals in the book. Sounds such as "plop-plop" are music to baby's ears. Highly recommend it.

We checked this book out from the library and it has become one of my two-year-old's favorites. Toddlers will love the farm animals, and parents will enjoy (maybe) coming up with different voices for each animal. The text is simple enough that your 2-year-old will soon be reading along with you, and most likely will be galloping around the house saying "Clip-Clop!"

My daughter just giggles everytime we read this to her. Great buy!

My little niece loves it when characters in books fall down and then get up again. So this book is very exciting because the children go for an exciting ride, bounce in some straw, get up, and start again. The rhymes are very fun to read out loud!

Friendly Mr. Horse offers rides to the other barnyard animals. One by one, cat, dog, pig and duck ask to be included, and then to go faster, FASTER!! They start to fall, Mr. Horse "skids to a halt"-- and over they fly, into a haystack. Mr. Horse is worried, but his friends are fine-- and want to go "AGAIN!"

From the familiar theme, to the simple but evocative art, to the demonstration of manners (many requests are accompanied by "please"-- frequently enough to reinforce the message), this book is wonderful. My 3 year old wants to hear it again and "AGAIN!" and loves to show me where each animal is going to be on the next page. I enjoy the art, and the suggestion of motion and emotion. This book is a big hit with us both!