Clucking hens, hoofing pigs, and mooing cows - join the beat!
"Down on the farm of Poor Old Joe, the hens won't lay and the crops won't grow."
With the help of his instrument playing friends, Farmer Joe soon has the hens clucking, the pigs hoofing, and the cows mooing to a hillbilly music show. And now, "...down on the farm of Clever Old Joe, the hens all lay and the crops all grow."
When Farmer Joe plays some music to perk up his barnyard denizens, he discovers there's plenty of hidden talent down on the farm. Kids will probably enjoy this one far more than I did, but the cheap-looking illustrations bugged me, along with the lack of a more compelling story.
Farmer Joe's farm is in trouble. None of the animals will do what they need to do. So, Joe begins to play music. He is joined by his friends, Fox, Rabbit and Bear and this quartet plays country music all day. The animals begin to lay, eat, etc. and enjoy the time on the farm.
This is a great book, full of animals, instruments, rhymes and fun. It is the story of Old Farmer Joe, a hound dog whose hens just won't lay eggs. So he starts playing music for them, and soon as more friends hear the music and join, the whole farm is rocking out to a hillbilly sound. This book is an oversized picture book with incredible illustrations, and magical rhymes that bring the animals together. Your young children will love and enjoy it again and again.
Farmer Joe realized that on his farm the hens wouldn't lay and the crops wouldn't grow and none of the animals were doing what they needed to be doing. He decided to try music to perk them up. This is a rollicking fun story with large beautiful illustrations and lots of rhythm.
Have you ever tried reciting the letters of the alphabet while not breaking into a nursery school melody? Well Farmer Joe and the Music Show has the same effect. It’s like a clever twist and combination of songs reminiscent of “Cotton Eye Joe” and the all-time favorite “Farmer in the Dell.” The story starts “Down on the farm of Poor Old Joe, the hens won’t lay and the crops won’t grow…” Get ready to clap your hands and stomp your feet to this fun rhyming read! Children will enjoy how Farmer Joe livens up the place with his guitar while hens click, pigs hoof, and cows moo to the hillbilly music. Farmer Joe’s guitar plucking is then joined by Fiddler Fox, who pulls out his strings and bow, and Rabbit, who happily works the bellows of her accordion. But it is Bear’s double bass booms with a deep, low thrum that anchors the whole performance and makes all the farm animals throw down into a heyday party! “They all jump and jive. They leap and bound. They love the rhythm of the country sound!” I love this book because it clearly shows the fundamental role of music in our daily lives. Without rhythm and harmony, the world would be a very dull place.
Well, I just recommended this book to my musically inclined uncle, who as far as I know, hasn't read a children's book since his kids were young. Although, one never knows--maybe he has. At any rate, I'll just essentially repeat what I told him.
The book is very lyrical and has a clear rhythm to it. It really read like a song, and I think that was certainly the author's intent. I think it could easily be turned into kind of a folksy, kind of bluegrass-ish, song. My niece, nephew, and I liked the musicality of the story, and the pictures were bright and great, too (loved the little bees)! I really don't know if I've ever read such a musical, lyrical story before, and this one was just really good! Lots of fun!
Farmer Joe’s “hens won’t lay and crops won’t grow” until he puts on a music show.
The illustrations are bright, colorful and playful, typical of works previously produced by this author/illustrator duo. This story sings the praises of the positive effect music can have on one’s mood and in this case, productivity. There are just a couple of forced rhymes, such as “yee-har” to rhyme with guitar. This does not detract from the overall book and it would be a good choice for storytime with preschool children.
Farmer Joe doesn't know what's wrong with his farm animals. The hens won't lay eggs, the pigs won't eat, the cows won't graze and the crops won't even grow. What to do?
Joe has a grand idea! He picks up his old guitar and begins to strum. The hens begin to flap their wings and they start to lay eggs! Fiddler Fox joins in and this gets the pigs dancing!
Other animals join with the impromptu music band and everyone is bee-bopping along. Great idea Farmer Joe!
A great read-aloud for storytime as the kids will love the rhythm to the rhymes.
By the time Farmer Joe started playing his guitar, my daughter forgot about the M&Ms sitting in front of her. By the time Fiddler Fox started plucking at his fiddle, she was stomping her feet against her high chair. She added clapping hands just in time for Bear to bring out his double bass. The only reason I'm giving this four stars instead of five is because it sorely needs an accompanying CD!
Farmer Joe has a very big problem. Nothing seems to be going right on his farm. The animals are unhappy. Even the crops won’t grow.
Fortunately, Farmer Joe has an idea. Music is the key. He begins and all sorts of friends join in.
It’s impossible to read Farmer Joe and the Music Show without turning it into a song. The rhythm of the words automatically begins to sound like a song. It’s great fun.
When the farm animals are down in the dumps and not producing, Farmer Joe the dog, pulls out his guitar, starts plucking out a tune and is shortly joined by Fox and his fiddle, Rabbit with her concertina, and Bear with his bass fiddle. In no time at all, the animals are all hoofing and laying eggs and making honey and enjoying the hillbilly concert.
Read 2/28/11 as part of "Shall We Dance?" theme. The power of music and its positive effects shine through the wonderful rhymes of this story. Sang "Old MacDonald" with this changing the words slightly: "Farmer Joe, he had a farm…" There are wonderful illustrations and rhyming text that flows. A great read-aloud.
This would be wonderful in a farm storytime. Written in rhyme it is about music and farm animals having a good time togther. I enjoyed it and think it would be great to share with a group of kids. Ages 2+
This book has a good rhyming pattern and the children will enjoy the animals. I am using it for a music storytime but it would be really good for a farm theme as well. The book goes through the things that happen on a farm.
The author of Down by the Cool of the Pool has come out with another hit with a great beat! This is a fun, upbeat story that will be great for encouraging phonological awareness.
Sigh. Another farm book with talking animals. Bright, fun pictures, reads like a square-dance song. Might be good for a pre-school music and/or farm storytime.
With the help of his instrument-playing friends, Farmer Joe has his hens clucking, his pigs dancing, and his cows mooing to a country music show. www.hcpl.net
Book was numerous teaching moments. Rhyming is throughout book, great words to build students vocabulary, and examples of using onomatopoeia in writing.