Drummer Hoff

by Barbara Emberley

Ed Emberley won the 1968 Caldecott Medal for his bold illustrations for Barbara Emberley's jaunty adaptation of the cumulative folk song about seven soldiers who build a magnificent cannon and Drummer Hoff, who fires it off.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Poetry, Folklore, Classics, War

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is adapted from a folk tale. It is a story for beginning children and up. This is a simple story about an army building a cannon told in repetitive verse like the 12 days of Christmas and rhyming.

The best part of the story is the amazing artwork. I think little of the story, accept the cute rhymes, but the artwork is fantastic. I love the energy in the soldiers and all the lines create energy. I give the artwork a 4 stars while the story only 3.

The nephew surprised me and he really got into this. He thought the cannon going off at the end was funny and he liked all the funny looking characters. He gave this 4 stars. The niece thought this was rather silly and she gave this 2 stars. We talked about the art, but she still didn’t think it was worth more than 2 stars. She said, “I would not recommend this, so I can’t give it more stars.”

[Theo Logos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drummer Hoff was one of my first books. I saw it in a Scholastic book offer at school when I was six, and begged my parents to buy it for me. Like many little boys, I was enamored by soldiers, and would pour over the book again and again, entranced by the colorful European dress uniforms worn by the motley bunch of soldiers who were assembling, loading, and preparing to fire a cannon. Each one was distinctive, and I was particularly fond of Sergeant Chowder (who brought the powder), a gruff looking peg-legged fellow in a grenadiers hat, and Captain Bammer (who brought the rammer), a swashbuckling, eye-patch wearing chap. All of the illustrations were stunningly lined wood-cuts, brightly colored. I would try to draw soldiers who looked like those in the book, and learned all the words by heart.

Jump forward thirty years. My first child was born, and though I hadn't looked at the book in decades I found myself chanting the words to my baby as I rocked him to sleep - I still remembered them perfectly! I retrieved Drummer Hoff from my parent's attic, and it became a favorite of my boys. I was thrilled to pass this cherished piece of my childhood on to a new generation.

Worth noting is that Drummer Hoff hides a subtle anti-war message. When the cannon fires, it is a two page spread KAHBAHBLOOOM, all done in hellish red with some dark purple and blue behind it. When you turn the next page, all of the sharply dressed, parade ground soldiers are gone, and the abandoned cannon that was their focus has become a dilapidated ruin in an overgrown meadow full of birds and butterflies. As a child I could not clearly articulate the thoughts, but I remember pondering what happened to the soldiers — why had they left the cannon there? Had they been hurt when it was fired? It was my first influence to suggest that war might be something other than romance and adventure. Drummer Hoff is a fine, age appropriate way to begin to instill the values of peace in the hearts of little boys.

Among all of the many wonderful books written for small children, this was, is, and ever shall be my very favorite. It receives my highest recommendation.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever come across a book and remember that it was one of your favorites as a child? This book was in a used book store and it hit me...BOOM! Like a cannon ball of memory - taking me back to a time when my grandfather first read it to me.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably a 3 for my enjoyment level but I have to bump it up because it's so memorable.

This was my first time reading it as an adult and I was struck by the final illustration of Drummer Hoff; very powerful seeing the cannon covered in cobwebs and flowers, birds and butterflies. That said, I don't think I noticed it as a kid so it seems like a subtle message to me. It's based on a folk song so perhaps the Emberleys were adding their own views there at the end.

While this is not destined to be one of my favorite books, and wasn't a favorite when I was a kid, either, it is definitely one of those books that sticks in my mind because of the illustrations. Before I read it this time, I couldn't have told you what it was about. But if I saw the cover I would have known instantly that it's "Drummer Hoff" -- those bold woodcut illustrations feel really unique to me.

[Brielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about war. All of the members of the war were missing an arm, leg, or were wearing an eye patch. At the end of the book they blew themselves up because they stood in front of the cannon. At the end of the book nature took over. I liked this book but I feel that it would be confusing for a young reader to understand the message behind the book.

[Paul Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 1968 Caldecott Award winner. I found this at a garage sale of a retiring educator a couple of years ago and this title has sat on a downstairs bookshelf until I decided to go back and read these award winners this weekend.

Delightful verse about the hierarchy of people who give orders until the eventual firing of the cannon by Drummer Hoff. Colorful woodcuts make up the illustrations that are a feast for the eyes.

This might work well in a writer workshop if the prompt involved many people in a process.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based off of an old folk verse. Told with vibrant illustrations, it tells the story of the construction of a cannon. Each soldier has something different to contribute, which intertwines a beautiful lesson of social-emotional learning, history, and poetry. The story starts off small and gradually builds to convey a bigger picture.

“General Border
Gave the order,
Major Scott
Brought the shot,
Captain Bammer
Brought the rammer,
Sergeant Chowder
Brought the powder,
Corporal Farrell
Brought the barrel,
Private Parriage
Brought the carriage,
But Drummer Hoff fired it off.”

I think this book would be perfect for a reading or writing workshop, because it takes various components and adds them to the existing story – an important element of writing in general. This idea is presented in a way that seems somewhat simplified as the reader must do most of the interpreting and thinking. Digging for a deeper meaning provides the audience to think more critically to develop a more in-depth understanding of the author’s message he is trying to convey. This text could be used for different purposes: to discuss poetic writing and other literary elements; as a mentor text for intertwining history into your writing; to learn about this period of history; or to convey the social-emotional type lesson that everyone has something unique to offer to an overall production… Everyone has a gift that is to be valued.

My favorite part of the story is the illustrations, as their bright colors and details make it even more memorable. The first time I read “Drummer Hoff,” I knew it’s poetic and historical writing style would be appreciated by all. After all, it did win a Caldecott Metal! I was reassured that younger audiences would also swoon when my fourth grade reading partner expressed his excitement after reading it. He was exposed to a new literary style and both of us were ecstatic about the new possibilities of his writing. In fact, we were so inspired that we immediately went to his writer’s journal to update one of his latest poems. It brings something new to the typical classroom read alouds, as it truly is unique. The illustrations, characters, writing style, and plot are unlike everything I have read before which is why I find it brilliant.

[Lisa Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read aloud, perfect for babies, toddlers, and young children. Filled with repetion, my kids loved to help me say all the different parts as each person was added to the story, but their favorite part was the end when "Drummer Hoff fired it off" and the got to say "Kababloom!"

[Mary Scheffler · Rating 5 out of 5]

DRUMMER HOFF FIRRRRRED IT OFF!
KABLOOOOOM!

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family favorite

[Crissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Love the illustrations and rhyming.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drummer Hoff is a book written in the style of a cumulative song. It starts with Drummer Hoff, and throughout the story seven others join him, all to build and fire a cannon. They build the cannon on a grassy field, and in the end it is overgrown by flowers and plants, and birds are perched on the canon. Drummer Hoff is illustrated in a colorful mosaic style, with ornate patterns drawn within every person and object. Pages with narrative are a stark contrast to those with the characters, as they are plain white, with only the grassy field at the very bottom of the page. The eye is drawn to the bright jewel toned illustrations, and once readers get the hang of the story song, they can pay more of their attention to the pictures. Once each character has been presented, for the rest of the book only their head is visible at the bottom page, bringing the attention to the new character introduced in that verse of the song, so to speak. When the cannon is finally fired, the entire page is drawn in red, the smoke from the blast, the grass, the cannon itself, and Drummer Hoff himself, against a brilliant blue background. This red is an angrier color, pairing appropriately with the firing of an explosive, and on the next page is peacefully overgrown by flowers and plants. With only the cumulative song as text, the pictures on the final pages are the epilogue to the firing of the cannon.

This book could be used in a classroom in a counting lesson. As characters are added to the story, the count gets higher, and students could count along with the book. It could also be used to make predictions. The teacher could read aloud, and students could predict what the next step in building will be.

[Jacklyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drummer Hoff is written by Barbara Emberley and illustrated by Ed Emberley. It is a short poem about troops of soldiers who will fire off cannon. The illustrations appear to me like woodcut printing because the lines look stiff and there are many geometrical shapes. The page where they fire the cannon leaves me a strong impression. The blast forms red swirls that sweep across to another page; the loud noise of blasting is printed in bold yellow capital letters; the soldier, the carriage, the land are covered in red and the background in cold blue and sharp lines. These two pages are the only two pages that illustration takes up the whole space. After that, it became peaceful again. The carriage is left on the field and plants are growing on top of it, but the soldiers are gone. Although I like this book a lot, I don’t think children who read this book can fully understand the message behind it unless someone explain it to them. Otherwise it just seems like happy soldiers who go onto the battlefield and nothing bad happens.

[☼Bookish in Virginia☼ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time Machine
5.0 out of 5 stars Drummer Hoff Hits a Home Run, April 29, 2005

I found the reviews of Drummer Hoff to be very interesting, particularly the parts about what this book meant to my fellow readers in their youth. My take is a little different however. As a mom with two young children (38 months and almost 5) I am constantly looking for books of all sorts to read to them. I particularly like books that my kids love enough to memorize on their own.

In this light, Drummer Hoff is a complete hit. The drawings are so intense and interesting that my son brings the book to me all the time... or did. Now that we all know it by heart we take turns reciting it as we play on the lawn.

And while it is true, as some have noted, that it does not have an obvious beginning, middle, and end, it does still tell a story. And this book serves its purpose the same way many of the old rhymes do. It teaches diction, vocabulary and memory skills: all of which are early reading aids.

This mom and dad give it 5 stars.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a few reviews on goodreads, and a lot of people either don't like this book or think children won't like this book. I'm only 21 so I was a child and enjoyed this book in the 90s (which is not very long ago).

I loved this book as a child. The simplicity, the repetition, the color, all added to my enjoyment of it. I loved the funny names and the style of the drawings. The longer the sentence got the more I anticipated the pay-off of the canon firing. Turning the page to the firing of the canon was easily the best part.

Please don't judge this book too quickly. You can't assume that you'll know what a kid will like. First of all, kids are different and some may like it and some may not. Second, think about how long it's been since you were a kid. Adults think differently than kids and there is no substitute.

Happy Readings!

[Emily Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story tells the progression of building a cannon. There are very few words as the steps are repeated and start from the beginning after each additional step is added. The illustrations are very detailed from their uniforms to the feathers on their hats. As the story retells the progression of the cannon the illustrations do as well. The line, shape and color all work together very well to create an order that represents the story well. I love the fact that the progression in the picture is built upon after each step. Great pictures! This book would make for a great lesson on the importance of detail in stories. It would be a great activity to have students read this book, and then write and illustrate their own story that has to do with the steps of a process. Students could even share their stories with other students to make sure their processes are complete and make sense!

[Micah Bahe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Drummer Hoff goes through the motions of rhyming word, it also shoes how these men of war are preparing a canon. One book character is missing a limb while another character is wearing an eye patch, it is what brings this story together as the main officer is who call commands to have his men shoot the canon. The book offers colors such as shades of red, which could recommend power, anger, passion, , energy and activity; shades of blue indication passiveness, serenity and a sense of detachment and a few yellows and greens, which indicates caution and maybe some sort of nature and calming that is associated with the theme. Based on recurring shapes, there are circles from the plants which means that there is comfort, protection and an endlessness throughout the story. Drummer Hoff is a great book to read through, as being a Caldecott Medal winner.

[Chaitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The soldiers bring something or other to fire off a cannon. They all have a part to play. The rhyme is repetitive in a House that Jack Built fashion. But the real winner is that bright artwork made of woodcuts. The end page is particularly good according to me, because the canon, which has been made to explode, is now in ruins, with flowers and butterflies running through it. Very Ozymandias.

(Another book I didn't test on my son because I read it in the library just before returning it, but I'd like to).

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

2010: This story repeats without being annoying (it isn't too long) and demonstrates chain of events, as well as the workings of a cannon, which will always be interesting to little boys (and probably girls, too). The illustrations are to die for. Definitely a classic!

2013 update: My little girl loves this book even more than my little boy did. And I love the pictures so much.

[Jennifer (JenIsNotaBookSnob) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating book. I really liked the illustrations, this may be a good choice for a rhythm storytime. Has a nice structure to it that seems like it would work nicely.

Very simple and short with a brief humorous bit at the end.

[Will Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surely, when it comes to writing book reviews, excessive rules and strictures should be avoided. After all, in general, the artsy-fartsy literary jet set tends to be more or less of a centrist or overtly liberal bent, and one could definitely argue that we creative types do tend to skew towards agreeability, an often (though certainly not always) decidely feminine trait.

Therefore, when it comes to the thoughtful "grown-up" appraisal, or nostalgic reassessment, if you will, of a much beloved multi-generational children's picture book such as Drummer Hoff (which I must say is one of my life long personal favorites) I gather that there are generally two ways to approach the aforementioned.

First, one is naturally inclined to cite their own personal childhood impressions of, and experiences with, Barbara and Ed Emberley's timelessly entertaining, ever poignant, and deceptively simple little classic, that, secondly, and perhaps most interesting of all, many adult aged commentators often seem particularly wont to reexamine via the prism of a more or less newfangled, perhaps even rather trendy, "new age," or dare I say, "woke" moralistic view.

In other words, it seems that many "big people" (aka "grown-ups") of an often literary and artistic bent (you know, us thoughtful, analytical, and almost always well-meaning reader types) often appear to be entirely reticent to simply acknowledge that, when we were yet still quite young and infinitely impressionable, we were actually incredibly captivated by a beautifully illustrated book that depicted... gasp... soldiers.

And German soldiers at that. Mein Gott!

But how could such a thing be? Why, as altruistic (minded) creatives, are we not the enlightened ones? Are we not the righteous "peaceniks," the "make love not war," "flower power" proverbial "hippies" of (or at the very least the gentle "flower child" progeny of) Vietnam War era fame? Did we not comprehend, even when we were as yet entirely innocent babes, that soldiers and uniforms and military drill and order, with its often singularly and damnably blind resolve, and all... all THAT "Nazi" type stuff, did we not yet comprehend when still so fresh from swaddling that all that highly programmed militaristic fervor was just plain bad, bad, bad, and more BAD?

Well, if we didn't, it's surely because we were just poor dumb kids way back when some nasty authoritarian "adult" tossed that lovely old picture book at us to hopefully amuse and shut us up for at least a quarter of an hour or so! Actually, come to think of it, no one told me I had to read that particular book. No one. I chose it. Or maybe it chose me! If such a thing is even possible anyway.

The point is that, as the hippie era classic tune (which was, interestingly enough inspired by the Biblical Book of Ecclesiastes), so aptly put it, "To everything turn, turn, turn. There is a season, turn, turn, turn. And a time for every purpose under the heaven."

Yes. Yes, "a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

Imagine THAT, John Lennon. So, forget Virginia Woolf. Who's afraid of the big bad Germans? Hmm. I suppose... all of us artsy-fartsy peacenik types who may not be of fully ethnic Germanic heritage, but we are, the vast majority of us anyway, inheritors of the broader Anglo-Saxon-American cultural and historical heritage that still, like it or not, characterizes... nay, BUILT Western civilization as we know it.

Yes, that ancient Fertile Cresent-Greco-Romano-Celto-Germanic (and even Slavic) martial spirit, that not only brought faith, then scientific reason, out of the Middle East, up from Northern Africa, all across Europe, and then from sea to shining American Sea, and then all the way to the continents of Oceania and Australia, and finally, all the way back to the southern tip of South Africa.... Yes, THAT civilization.

Yet lest we forget that the Chinese, Mongolian, and Japanese (just to name a few) of Far East Asia have their very own version of conquest/divine providence. For that matter, so do the Indians ("red" AND "red dot"), and the once mighty (but equally bloodthirsty) precolumbian empires that now lay entombed beneath "New World" jungle and... flowers. Lest we also forget the Killing Fields of Pol Pot, the countless MILLIONS who died because some unkempt, unemployed 19th century contrarian European scribe named Marx decided it was time to burn it all down and start all over again using his very own highly theoretical, utopian style, so-called "communal" rules and strictures, etc., etc., etc., et ALL.

So, who's afraid of the big bad "Nazi" Germans (aka "WHITES")? Who's scared blind and stupid of the all too often unfairly persecuted Jews (ALSO "whites," who were often so racially indistinct that they had to be forced to wear a Star of David so the REAL Nazis would know who to KILL), with their pesky ancient, Divinely derived Laws and societal strictures? Not me. Hells nah. Because:

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

But a civilization, especially one like ours, with roots dating all the way back to the ancient Middle East (and before that, AFRICA, "the cradle of human civilization"), "is a terrible thing to waste." Surely.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My toddlers love this book and have it memorized. The pictures are so beautiful so I don't mind reading it ten times a day.

[Sophie Carbone]

Read for research project for class. Fun audiobook!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drummer Hoff is the 1968 Caldecott Awad winner. Another simpe rhyming book. Ed Emberly used woodcuts and bright colors for the illutstrations. I really liked them.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful work of anti-war art, and it probably hit a lot different in the late 60’s with the Vietnam War falling apart.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a picture book for very young children, with repetitive rhymes that tell the story of a group of soldiers who build a cannon. Illustrator Ed Emberley won the Caldecott medal for his work. The vibrantly colored illustrations remind me of a psychedelic Beatles album cover!

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book won the 1968 Caldecott Medal for its illustrations.

The story is a a cumulatvie, or progressive, tale of various soldiers adding parts to a cannon before it is fired. Each page adds one more soldier and one more part. Drummer Hoff fires it off, but not without the barrell brought by Corporal Farrell, the shot brought by Major Scott, and the order given by General Border. The rhyming and tongue-twisting text will inspire laughs among children too young to read and by those who enjoy trying to read it faster and faster.

The illustrations are vibrant and intricate; they have been likened to everything from psychedelic to wood cuts and Colonial American engravings. Those that know of Ed Emberley for his simplified yet charming "how-to-draw" books will find something different in these illustrations. Although the bright colors and final picture of flowers blooming from the cannon are reminiscent of the posters and anti-war messages of the 60s, the soldiers are clearly from a much earlier historical period.

[Meltha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Caldecott winner, but I kept wondering sort of why. The illustrations were colorful and vaguely psychedelic, almost looking a bit like stained glass windows, but the story, a rhyming cumulative one a la The House that Jack Built, at times didn't work very well. For example, Chowder brings the powder, and Harrel or Farrel or some similar name brings a barrel. The problem is the gun powder is already in a barrel, and the barrel actually referred to is the barrel of the cannon, which actually took me a while myself, so it would have to fly over children's heads completely. Eventually, Drummer Hoff sets off the cannon, and it appears everybody else is standing in front of it at the time and is blown to kingdom come, though that isn't made completely explicit. The final image is the cannon full of birds' nests, feeling rather "Where Have All the Flowers Gone." Again, this could well be a comment on the Vietnam War given the era of the book, but the concept itself hasn't aged particularly well.

ETA: Yep, still rather baffling.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with lots of white space and richly-colored woodcut illustrations, this cumulative tale describes various members of a military unit bring various parts to make a cannon fire. The men are dressed in ornate uniforms and some, such as Sergeant Chowder, struggle with the things they carry. As something is added, the stoic Drummer Hoff quietly stands by and bides his time. The red, orange, and yellow double-page spread near the book's conclusion makes it clear what the result of all that work is. The final page filled with birds building a nest and a spider building a web concludes the book with a thoughtful visual reflection about how Nature always reclaims her own despite the ills done to her by humans. From its vibrant and incredibly detailed illustrations, I can certainly see why this book won the Caldecott Medal in 1968. It has a playful nature when read by some and a somber one when read by others.

[Linda Lipko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luscious colors pop out in reds and oranges and greens and just about every color imaginable. This Caldecott winning book does not have the pull of the message as well as the images that leap and the detail that is incredible.

One lone Drummer named Hoff seems to build a cannon, until the story builds upon the fact that it took many to assist in the final project. This is a simple tale of fact needed for all to remember.