Down on the Funny Farm

by P.E. King

Illus. in full color. "A young farmer thinks he has gotten a real deal when an old man sells him a farm for one dollar. Upon inspection, however, there are a few a cat that thinks it's a horse, a rooster that thinks it's a dog, and other animals with identity problems. The initial joke will really tickle new readers. Long, but easy; kids will feel a sense of accomplishment when they finish this."-- Booklist.  

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Animals, 1st Grade

48 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 1986

Reviews

[Ashley Klausmeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very silly book that I liked to read as a child. It has animals doing goofy things that are bound to make and child laugh. It also teaches them about what animals on a farm do. The illustrations are one of my favorite parts about this book.

[Melissa Sommer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This transitional chapter book was about a young farmer who buys an old mans farm from him for a dollar. All the animals on the farm are not acting like themselves. They are acting like different animals and they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing. The farmer marries a woman and her dad ends up being the old farmer who ends up living with them. I thought this book was clever and funny. I think this is a good transitional chapter book for kids to read because the comedy in the story will keep their interest.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange and funny story about animals on a farm behaving and sounding like other animals. The story is fun to read aloud and the illustrations are very humorous. Our youngest brought this home from her first grade class to practice her reading and we enjoyed reading it together.

[Dalton Prather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome and hilarious. I got a kick seeing the crazy animals act differently.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young man buys a farm for just a dollar from an old man. He's very excited until he starts to meet some of the animals. The horse is crowing on the barn roof, the chicken is wallowing in the mud, and the cat is hitched up to pull the wagon. He's got his work in store for him!

This bears a lot of similarities to The Cow That Went OINK and The Day the Dog Said, "Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!". All three books involve farm animals that are mixed up in their noises and roles. Obviously, if you're looking for a good compare/contrast activity, these three are perfect for that. This is the only one of those with a bit of a human interest/love story though, so perhaps pick this of the three for the little romantics.

[Annie Flanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very cute and funny. A man wants to buy a farm and an old man wants to sell his farm. So for one dollar the man buys the farm and the old man leaves.

But the farm animals are kind of strange - but funny and delightful.

After getting the animals situated the man decides he needs a wife. At that moment a lady shows up who needs a husband. So they get married.

She then tells him that her father needs a home and the man agrees to let his new father in law live with them. He is shocked to find that his new wife's father is the old man who sold him the farm.

The illustrations by Alastair Graham are delightful.

[Emily Gerstenschlager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: 6/1/21
Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: 1-3
I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit. I think it was great how the farmer went to each animal and found them acting like a different animal then followed through to all the animals. I also like the twist at the end when the wife's dad was the previou farmer and all the animals went back to the silly way they were acting before. I think students who are reading this will be engaged and interested throughout and you could give them good comprehension questions to go along with this book.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story that made my adult special needs son and I giggle throughout the entire thing. It's also a 'full circle' story... ended where it started from. Nothing is as it seems in this farm; and the new farmer figures things out until the old farmer shows up.. and oh no!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A longer easy reader book about a guy who buys a farm where all the animals make the wrong sounds. cute. elementary and up

[Zazie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very silly story I'm sure any kid will love to read.

[Alan Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is definitely the kind of book that should be turned into a movie but instead should be adapted into a 10 minute long cartoon short

[Dan Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books to children, and this book got a reaction I've never seen before--the preschooler I read this to jumped up and down and cackled with delight as we neared the end and the story got wackier and wackier. This book could also work well for reading to groups of children in an age range of 4-6.

[Kristina Arnold]

This is another great transitional book I would suggest for either first or second grade. It is an interesting insight for Kentucky and Indiana students because it speaks of the farm which is good for many of those students because they are able to relate

[Kelsey Nauert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I read often as a child, Down on the Funny Farm is about a young farmer who buys a barn full of animals who are confused about what sound they are supposed to make. Young children will find this book humorous while working on their animal sounds.

[Marisela Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review
This is a very funny story. The pictures are very humorous. The book is a little long but, easy to read.

Learning Activity
Encorauge children to imitate the farm animals' sounds. Ask the children if animals can really take other animal place.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child so much that my mom asked the teacher if she could order a copy of it. That was 13 years ago. I still have it in new condition and I read it to my son. Its a great book but somewhat hard to find a new copy these days.

[Jake]

We were right there thinking this was a pretty funny book, but then the end was plain odd.

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[Kayla Schum · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is about a farm and all kinds of funny things that happen. I would use this book to help students work on their own reading skills.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious. I loved this book as a child.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book
Growing up. I can't wait to get it for my children

[K.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute read with lots of giggles.

[Liana · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books as a kid! The story is delightfully silly and stupid at the same time. :)