The Hullabaloo ABC

by Beverly Cleary

A lively ABC book is set on a noisy farm in the morning where donkeys bray, pigs grunt, cows moo, and jays jabber.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Animals

26 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Beverly Atlee Cleary was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction. One of America's most successful authors, 91 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide since her first book was published in 1950. Some of her best known characters are Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby, Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, and Ralph S. Mouse.
The majority of Cleary's books are set in the Grant Park neighborhood of northeast Portland, Oregon, where she was raised, and she has been credited as one of the first authors of children's literature to figure emotional realism in the narratives of her characters, often children in middle-class families. Her first children's book was Henry Huggins after a question from a kid when Cleary was a librarian. Cleary won the 1981 National Book Award for Ramona and Her Mother and the 1984 Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw. For her lifetime contributions to American literature, she received the National Medal of Arts, recognition as a Library of Congress Living Legend, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the Association for Library Service to Children. The Beverly Cleary School, a public school in Portland, was named after her, and several statues of her most famous characters were erected in Grant Park in 1995. Cleary died on March 25, 2021, at the age of 104.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't make this your preschooler's first ABC book. And don't teach a 2 yo the alphabet. Rather, have fun with the book. Learn by osmosis all sorts of fun words and fun sounds, too. Also, let these active and fearless children inspire yours to get outside and explore (if you live in a city, have a conversation of what kinds of things you can do instead; use your imaginations).

Cleary was a child who had (teacher-inflicted) trouble learning to read, wanted more stories written for children, was a librarian who wanted more stories that would appeal to her particular young patrons, and was a parent. If she believes children will enjoy this book, I opine that they should at least be offered it, even if you didn't particularly love it.

I do like the art of Ted Rand, too.

[Shelby Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admire how this book is not like the average ABC books, since the words going along with the letters are unique and sounds one might hear on a farm, such as "kerchoo" or "hee-haw." With these unique sounds, I think it gives young readers new thoughts to where letter sounds can come from. I also liked the illustrations, since the people did not seem to represent the "average" image on most book covers, but instead children have imperfections and that's okay.
Topics: ABCs, onomatopoeia, living on a farm, farm animals, noises on the farm, adventure.

[Victoria Long · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beverly Cleary has such a fun title for the book, I think kids would be attracted to it. However, I would not use it to tech the alphabet. Some letters have a nice barn noise and catchy rhyme to accompany them and it works, but others could confuse the letters and words. I do not think "Aha" is a great way to learn A, however "cockadoodledoo" works better. This book is completely based on a farm, so many children may not be able to understand or connect to the book if they are unfamiliar with farm life. Ted Rand did beautiful illustrations, though these images seem very vintage and may not appeal to children. It is great that they show each letter in big colorful font with both upper case and lower case lettering. My biggest concern is that the rhymes with each letter are so wordy a child may not understand when that specific letter is in use.

[Kristy Sikora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
When searching for ABC books for my two year old daughter, I came across this book. I was immediately excited to read it with her because the author was one of my childhood favorites! My daughter giggled through the whole book as she explored the sites and sounds of a farm, with which she is already very familiar. We read this book three times in a row, and each time she laughed harder. She loved the illustrations, as well as did I with their classic, timeless look.

Lesson ideas:
This would be a great book for teachers to use when building background about a farm, while reviewing the alphabet at the same time. The title might make it difficult for teachers to even realize this book is talking about a farm, though.

Themes:
Farm, ABC

Publication date: 1998

[Shannon Janik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beverly Cleary who is more well known for her books involving Ramona, is the author of the ABC picture book called "Hullabaloo ABC". This book has a very strong rhyme scheme that would help any children learn their ABC's. The pictures are very enjoyable. However, the only thing I think I would change would be the fact that the author does not use real word for some of the letters. She uses sounds such as "Shh" or "Ugh". I just felt like there are many different words that start with the letter S that the author could have used. Also, while I understand the letter X is a difficult letter to incorporate, I don't think it was a good idea to use the word "exclaim" because this could be confusing to a child that is just starting off learning his or her ABC's.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The vintage illustrations are fun and the words Cleary uses to describe each letter are definitely not your typical ABC book, which is awesome. But, it also detracts a bit because the target audience (the preschool crowd) may not be able to hear the sound the "A" is making at the beginning of "Aha" and they certainly won't get an "S" sound from the word "Sh." But, the high energy will keep my story time kiddos entertained. So, I'll probably use it and have the kids act out 10 or so of the letters (yelling Cockadoodledoo will be fun!). But I'll substitute "squeak" for "shh" and "yell" for yodel. Also, I'll ask what other words start with that letter/sound on some of the more obscure ones (like "exclaim" for "x" and "whoop" for "w"). With a few tweaks, this one will be a hit.

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Beverly Cleary picture book!

This is definitely a fun book to read aloud with younger kids for the fun of saying the sounds and it can introduce the letters of the alphabet/the idea that there are letters that make up words. It isn't a great book to actually teach letter sounds, though, because a lot of the words meant to represent the letters begin with a blend ('shhh' for 's', 'grunt' for 'g').

3.5

[Kali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit better than your average ABC book. It feels a bit more animated and subtly incorporates each letter into the snappy little poems on each page, instead of just presenting letters and words. The artwork is bright and colorful, as well. Nicely done.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son loves all things ABC and 123 so we have read nearly all the books on these subjects that our library has available. This book has been a delightful addition to our reads this week! Whimsical, colorful illustrations and a fun theme!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book to act out with your child.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The version I read was from 1960. It's a book of sounds and energy as two children explore an old-fashioned barnyard. I felt as if I was looking at my mom's 1950s country childhood.

[Michelle Glenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was okay, the best part was the exposure to the alphabet. Illustrations were dated and content didn't tell much of a story.

[The Book Box]

Mom and I read this before bed the 2nd week of January 2021.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

8/16/21 Julia read to me

[Brooke Seidel]

Title: The Hullabaloo ABC
Author: Beverly Clearly
Illustrator: Ted Rand
Genre: Alphabet (ABC) book
Theme(s): Learning the alphabet and what letters stand for what words
Opening line/sentence: “A for Aha! I see you.”
Brief Book Summary: Two children are running around a farm talking about all of the sounds that they are hearing. Each sound starts with a different letter in the alphabet.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
As its title suggests, the energy level of this alphabet storybook runs high, thanks in part to Cleary's choice of verbs ("Flutter," "Jabber," "Rumble"), lively onomatopoeic sounds ("Kerchoo!" "Putt-putt," "Toot-toot") and animal noises ("Hee-haw," "Quack-quack") that lead off these 26 brief verses. Rand's (Knots on a Counting Rope) hearty watercolors endow the volume's clamorous crewa spunky trio of siblings and the animal residents of their farmwith particular appeal. Ranging from panoramic views of a timeless rural setting to close-ups of kids and critters, Rand's pictures document the antic proceedings, until a thunder storm arrives and the children are summoned back to the farmhouse. Occasional lazy rhyme schemes (e.g., rips/trip; racket/whack it) and lapses in rhythm ("N for Noises,/ Clucks and cackles./ A hawk!/ It scatters the hens/ And makes them squawk") trip the tongue. Still, Cleary teaches as she tells her story, and Rand's art is consistently divertinga winning combination in a preschool read-aloud. Ages 3-up. (Apr.)

Professional Recommendation/Review #2: School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1--Get ready for a noisy tour of the alphabet as two brothers and their sister whoop it up on the family farm. Each letter is given its own page, but unlike more conventional alphabet books, the main illustration doesn't necessarily focus on the letter's sound. For example, in the picture for "Kk for Kerchoo!/What a big sneeze!/It startles the rabbit/Nibbling the peas," the rabbit is front and center while the older brother is sneezing in the background. "Vv for Voice./Did someone call?/Quick! Up on the horse./Try not to fall" is illustrated by a picture of the girl mounting a horse. In the background, her parents stand on a porch and wave. The rhymes are busy and boisterous, and each cock-a-doodle-doo, grunt, hee-haw, moo, squeak, squawk, cluck, cackle, and shout is meant for reading aloud. While the original text copyright is 1960, the pictures are brand new. Rand's expert watercolor illustrations on crisp white backgrounds bring the action to life with just the slightest touch of nostalgia. His attention to detail, as in the pig's self-satisfied smirk and sister's T-shirt with the alphabet printed on front and back, adds irresistible charm. Share this with your preschool crowd or recommend it to an early-childhood teacher for a unit on farm life. Either way, it's a winner.--Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools

Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both reviews seem to think this is a high energy, enthusiastic book for children when learning the alphabet. Although the book may seem busy at times, both reviews seem to find this book as a winner for young children. This will help children learn.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: There are many different sounds in this book. This is because each sound is representing something that they hear on the farm. The setting of the book is on the farm.
Consideration of Instructional Application: Have students get into large groups and think of different words for each letter in the alphabet. This will show how the students know what words begin with what letters. Then they will share their finding with the class.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hullabaloo ABC, written by one of my personal favorite children’s authors, Beverly Cleary, is a rambunctiously fun story intended to help children memorize their ABC’s. The illustrations are just as colorful and fun as the story itself. I love the sweeping brushstrokes and texture illustrator Ted Rand uses in the pictures on every page. Just by looking at the illustrations alone, a reader could follow the story and understand what is happening at any given point. One of my favorite aspects of this book is, unlike some other alphabet books, The Hullabaloo ABC follows a certain story as it presents each letter to the reader. One of the most endearing parts about this story is the rhyming the author uses on each letter’s page. This is a fun way to keep the story flowing and engage the reader throughout the book. Another clever thing I noticed was that the word each letter stands for seems to be the name of a particular sound. For example, “H” stands for “hee-haw,” and “J” stands for “jabber.” Many of the letters stand for the various sounds of the animals the children hear as they wander through barnyards, fields, and barns. I think the farm setting in general will also be a very appealing part of this book to readers, especially to the age group for which it is intended. Children love reading about animals, the sounds they make, and the adventures of children characters that are around their same age, so this book is very appropriate in that aspect.
I think young readers will also find the description and onomatopoeia used throughout this story very entertaining and fun. One of my favorite pages is when the children are caught inside of the barn looking out at the rain and waving to a “clickity-clacking” passing train. Language like the language used in this book is very appealing to young children because they can envision what onomatopoeia sounds like much better than they can a literal description, and it helps them connect to the story a lot better. This kind of language also gives whoever is reading the book aloud a lot of room to be creative with their reading voices and how they produce the various different sounds. As a child gets to know this book well over time, he or she may even be able to help! Overall, any young reader will love the colorful illustrations, rhymes, use of language, characters, setting, and really everything about this fun book! I have to say it honestly is one of the most well-done alphabet books I have ever seen, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a young child or classroom of children that they would like to familiarize with the ABC’s.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hullabaloo ABC by Beverly Cleary is a wonderful alphabet book for children in Pre-K and Kindergarten who are learning their ABC's and would be a good read for first or second grade children who can already read. In this book each letter of the alphabet is a verb or action and rhymes which I think would go well with Language Arts in the classroom. The Hullabaloo ABC follows two children as they run around a farm finding things to see, smell, touch, hear, and taste.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beverly Cleary's The Hullabaloo ABC does a good job teaching children about their ABC's. I can see parents reading this to their children before bed. Cleary goes through each letter of the alphabet, one per page. For example, Aa for ... This pattern repeats throughout the story. The words also rhyme when they can. The storyline is about two children, a boy and a girl, who are siblings. They experience all kinds of wonderful animal noises throughout the story. I can see children's happy faces as they hear these noises read!
Ted Rand does a good job making the illustrations very kid friendly. He grasps the sweetness of children's faces and portrays that throughout.

[Blair Herron · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABC Books:

I loved this book especially how each letter in the alphabet made up a specific part of the story that painted the big picture of the children playing hid and go seek around a farmyard. The bright colors that were used in the drawings would really grab a child's attention as well as make it fun for them to look through. I am going to read it to my preschool class next week for my unit of harvest/fall. :)

[Amanda_DJ n' Zac]

LOVE the books that the kids can read an they are still learning the alphabet. They are reading, yet at the same time understanding the sight, shapes, sound and look of each letter! Something my son has been doing since he was 2. So anytime we can throw in some practice an its fun... good with us! This book did just that!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library today. He likes ABC books.

I expected more from this book: It was written by Beverly Cleary and illustrated by Ted Rand. I expected something amazing from this book. I was disappointed. It isn't a bad book, it is just not especially engaging. And it does feel very dated. I'll stick to Cleary's Ramona books from now on.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this picture book. I found the text very random. I also found many of the words unrelated to children. For instance, Cleary used the word echo for e, inhale for i, and exclaim for x. I did not believe these were good choices for an ABC book. The illustration was okay, but it was nothing special to me.

[Edna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautifuland the letters each have an appropriate "barn" rhyme attached to it, but the book has a feel that's "dated"; kids may not be able to either relate to it or find it very interesting (at all).

[Paul Hankins · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alphabet book from Beverly Cleary will work very nicely in our ABCs of Categorization/Classification unit in Room 407. Stumbled onto this one while looking through ABC section at our local library.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alphabet book, Cleary-style, quite enjoyable. Has the feel of "Dick & Jane" with 1960 original copyright. Setting for the book is a farm.

[Jennifer Ho · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good ABC book for young children and enjoyed the illustrations throughout the book.

[Kim]

Features: beginning sounds, rhyme, alliteration, letter shapes

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read-aloud!

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of children (siblings) spend the day playing and being active on the farm, the alphabet is creatively woven into their day of fun. Lots of action and sound words!

[Jon Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book uses the alphabet to, once again, feature alliteration. However, Cleary also uses rhyme and onomatopoeia to help engage the reader in understanding the alphabet.