Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Cows in the Kitchen

Rate this book
"The simple, bouncing repetitive chant and animal noises will have everyone joining in." - BOOKLIST


While Tom Farmer naps in the haystack, his animals take over the farmhouse. There are cows in the kitchen, ducks in the cupboard, hens on the hat stand, pigs in the pantry, and even sheep on the sofa! What will happen when Tom Farmer wakes up? June Crebbin’s boisterous text - a wild and wacky version of a nursery song modeled on "Skip to My Lou" - and Katharine McEwen’s spirited illustrations combine for some riotous barnyard fun.

24 pages, Board Book

First published January 1, 1998

3 people are currently reading
250 people want to read

About the author

June Crebbin

72 books8 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
122 (35%)
4 stars
100 (28%)
3 stars
96 (27%)
2 stars
25 (7%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
62 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2018
Sings/chants nicely. I always like books that are easy for the audience to sing along with, even if they don't know what's coming. I personally don't love the art, but the picture book version is a nice large size so it works great for a big audience.
Profile Image for Laurie B.
521 reviews44 followers
August 30, 2021
I recently stumbled upon this book in my search for more farm animal books. Sadly, it seems to be out of print. I'm still hoping to find a copy I can use for library storytimes because it seems like it would be a lot of fun. I always enjoy when I find a good book I can sing. And any book with animal sounds is usually a crowd-pleaser.

I didn't realize this was a singable book until I started reading it and immediately felt it needed a tune. I think I was fairly spot-on with the tune I was instinctively using but decided to see if I could find a definitive answer. It seems this is based on a nursery rhyme and most versions I've found use the tune "Skip to My Lou," which works perfectly. I think littles would really enjoy this one.
6,220 reviews83 followers
November 19, 2015
Used this for lap time and had all the grown-ups mooing, quacking... Need to remember to order the picture book, the board book pages kept sticking. 11/21/12

Used again this year. The grown-ups didn't participate in the sound effects as much this year, though I did get the picture book. 11/19/13

Used in PJ Story Time and all the kids loved doing the animal sounds. 11/10/14

The parents participated this year, but maybe I'm getting tired of it. Need to find some more lap time books
30 reviews3 followers
October 27, 2008
I just used this in Toddler storytime and they loved it. It's a good sing and read book.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,156 reviews6 followers
June 28, 2019
I think this book is a lot of fun. You can sing it, it tells a story, and its funny. I especially like the part where the animals are sneaking back in. I read this book to groups of two-year olds and their parents. The story-telling aspect probably went over the kids head, but they still enjoyed the songs and the sounds, while their older siblings, parents and I enjoyed the story.
152 reviews1 follower
December 1, 2017
This book is a repetitive sing along that follows farm animals and their daily shenanigans. While the farmer is asleep, the animals decide to take over the house and do their own things. Eventually the animals decide to break out of the house. A good book to use for younger children.
Profile Image for Rachel Willis.
Author 1 book19 followers
February 14, 2024
Cute overall. The drawings remind me of the 90s... Like that short time wherein the edges were... Jagged? For lack of a better word. It isn't bad... It was neo-something or other. Everything had it. And this book reminds me of that time.

Bebe was semi-interested.
Profile Image for Diane.
7,286 reviews
August 6, 2018
While Tom Farmer is asleep under the haystack, the cows, ducks, pigs, hens and sheep make quite a mess in the farmhouse.
Profile Image for Alyssa Ricard.
150 reviews2 followers
September 10, 2018
Another short and to the point picture book. This one in particular repeats a lot of the same words or sounds and is very easy for young students to follow along. This would be a good read aloud.
120 reviews
March 5, 2019
Simply adorable. The whole book is a story that is read in the tune of the song “Ol McDonald”. Very nice for young children.
50 reviews1 follower
October 8, 2019
funny, quirky and enjoyable for young children. This makes a great nursery rhyme to sing with young children to explore rhythm and rhyme and is easily picked up because of it's repetitive nature.
Profile Image for Meg.
718 reviews22 followers
December 30, 2022
This was a cute, fun read. It is fast paced, and you will sing along with it. I love the illustrations of the farm animals.
Profile Image for Lanica.
313 reviews30 followers
October 2, 2008
This book was just weird, but in a fun way.

It doesn't say to do this anywhere in the book, but I think it's supposed to be read to teh tune of "Wheels On The Bus." This makes it a fun read, but makes it hard to look at the pictures, which are full of odd details. The text on the first page says,

"Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo,
Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo,
Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo,
That's what we do, Tom Farmer."

And the picture shows three cows dancing in broken dishes, spilled food and an assortment of objects. One cow is licking a plate of sausages while another has a salt shaker and tea pot among other things balanced in his horns. (I though all cows were female?) Anyhow, it's some odd art that kids should really enjoy, and there's a mouse hidden on each page.

The story is pretty simple. The farm animals are eash playing around in a different room of the house (sheep n the sofa, hens on the hat stand...) while the farmer sleeps in the haystack. They wake him up, he goes inside and falls asleep in his chair. They then sneak into the house to scare him.

Hmmm, I just realized that the 'cow' has both horns and udders in the last page...as I said, odd.
Profile Image for Nari.
497 reviews20 followers
January 31, 2015
Cows in the Kitchen by June Crebbin

Picture Book

Genre: Cows, farm animals

Find this book at your local library

While Tom Farmer sleeps, the cows, ducks and the rest of the farm animals find themselves in the most peculiar places, making quite a mess in the farmhouse.

This is one, fun picture book. I’ve already decided to read it at my next storytime. The book itself is quite large, which is ideal for my large crowds. The words are sparse, repetitive and written in a sing-song manner. Its read to the tune of Skip to My Lou.

Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo

Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo

Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo

That’s what we do, Tom Farmer!

The illustrations are absolutely wonderful. There is so much detail, but so much simplicity at the same time. Its a book that kids can peruse looking to see what each duck or pig is doing on the page. But at a general viewing at storytime, it’s very easy to see the chaos and the mess that each animal group is creating.

Read more at: https://librarycrossing.wordpress.com...
Profile Image for Jane.
Author 6 books89 followers
March 17, 2017
Cows in the Kitchen is one of the preschool classes' favorites. The repetition of animal sounds is fun for them to hear the sounds of our language. The enjoy the pretend aspect of the short story with cows in the kitchen and it is a book they request often and enjoy pretend reading in the reading center of the preschool classroom. They also act out the story in the dramatic play section of the room when they play in the kitchen area of housekeeping center. They know the story and can adapt it into their play showing comprehension reading skills being developed. Cows in the Kitchen is a permanent part of the book collection in our preschool classroom.
28 reviews
October 5, 2009
2.) Cows In The Kitchen by June Crebbin
Crebbin, J. (1998) Cows in the kitchen. Italy
Illustrated by Katharine McEwen
Summary: This book is a fun book about crazy animals that get in to some trouble when the farmer goes to sleep. Children will love it! The book is fun and colorful. I would use this book to incorporate music in the classroom. You could also use this book for the alphabet.

Profile Image for Megan Mccormick.
71 reviews
October 12, 2014
this book is so cute. I'm assuming that is goes along with the children's song, "Skip to my Lou My Darling" and the melody goes along with the words so you can read the book] normally or choose to teach the kids to sing the book and then teach them. its so cute and i like that it includes all the farm, animals and such. the pictures are very cute and detailed.
Profile Image for Marya.
1,459 reviews
June 14, 2010
Overall, it's a good book. There's a hidden mouse on every page and the whole book is intended to be sung. Minus points for not including the music though. Without attending story time, I would have had no idea what the tune was!
Profile Image for Christina.
406 reviews6 followers
June 9, 2013
If you sing this book to the tune of Skip to my Lou, instead of merly reading it, you will enjoy yourself. Be sure to sing quiet at all the right spots. There is so much to look at on every page. This book is fantastically creative.
290 reviews4 followers
July 16, 2009
classic that always pleases and gets audiences singing along. Great for toddlers and preschoolers alike
Profile Image for Jennifer Bogdanowicz.
13 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2010
My boys LOVE it, for me, it is cute the first 10 times, but after that... a little annoying. So, if you check it out be prepared to perfect your animal sounds! The illustrations are great!
Profile Image for Heather.
1,949 reviews1 follower
February 2, 2012
32 months - O informed me that this is the same as Skip To My Lou but she didn't want me to sing it. She thinks the illustrations are silly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.