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Farmer Brown's Barnyard Tales
Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure
It's time for the annual Corn Maze Festival.
The farm is bursting with activity.
Cluck
Whack!
The chickens build a fence around the cornfield.
Moo
Thwack!
The cows give the barn a fresh coat of paint.
Thump. Quack!
Duck builds the ticket booth for the hot-air balloon ride.
Everyone is excited. Well, Duck is not excited exactly. But he has a plan. As Farmer Brown designs the corn maze for the festival, Duck does some designing of his own. Guess who's in for a big surprise?
The always-creative, always-hilarious, always-champions-of-corn-mazes pair who brought you Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type ; Giggle, Giggle, Quack ; and Duck for President have planned a terrific event. Step right up, folks.
The farm is bursting with activity.
Cluck
Whack!
The chickens build a fence around the cornfield.
Moo
Thwack!
The cows give the barn a fresh coat of paint.
Thump. Quack!
Duck builds the ticket booth for the hot-air balloon ride.
Everyone is excited. Well, Duck is not excited exactly. But he has a plan. As Farmer Brown designs the corn maze for the festival, Duck does some designing of his own. Guess who's in for a big surprise?
The always-creative, always-hilarious, always-champions-of-corn-mazes pair who brought you Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type ; Giggle, Giggle, Quack ; and Duck for President have planned a terrific event. Step right up, folks.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2008
10 people are currently reading
619 people want to read
About the author
Doreen Cronin
122 books446 followersDoreen Cronin (born 1966) is an American writer of children's books, including Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type, a very well-received picture book illustrated by Betsy Lewin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
February 9, 2016
Read this one with the Grandson and we both enjoyed it a lot. A few animals try to come together to make a corn maze of the Statue of Liberty in this whacky little adventure. It was such a fun little read to share with Aeverie. Great illustrations and a cute little crop line with some very fun characters.
June 23, 2018
All the animals have been bribed into helping Farmer Brown get his corn maze into the ground. Duck has an adjustment to make to the farmer's plan, however, and it won't be revealed until the end of the book. This one has a very cute, surprise ending.
December 9, 2018
Farmer Brown and his barnyard animals are back in this hilarious hi-jinks adventure. With the annual Corn Maze Festival coming up, Farmer Brown is determined to create a masterpiece - a Statue of Liberty maze! - in his field. He convinced all the animals to help, by giving them hammers (the chickens), paintbrushes (the cows), and threatening their supply of organic feed (Duck). As usual though, Duck has some mischievous plane of his own...
I found Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure quite amusing, and chuckled aloud at a number of points. Given that this is the seventh picture-book that author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin have created about these characters, that is quite impressive. Duck remains one of my favorites, of course, given his humorously scheming nature, and well-developed sense of self-worth. Recommended to fans of the earlier books about these active, independent farmyard animals and their sometimes befuddled human caretaker.
I found Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure quite amusing, and chuckled aloud at a number of points. Given that this is the seventh picture-book that author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Betsy Lewin have created about these characters, that is quite impressive. Duck remains one of my favorites, of course, given his humorously scheming nature, and well-developed sense of self-worth. Recommended to fans of the earlier books about these active, independent farmyard animals and their sometimes befuddled human caretaker.
June 15, 2018
Although the story was humorous, Duck was less engaging this time around.
October 11, 2020
Silly fun and humor as Farmer Brown prepares to build a prize winning corn maze. All the animals pitch in to help Farmer Brown, but duck doesn't want to help. He is coerced by Farmer Brown to help, and this leads duck to add his own designs on the project after hours when it gets dark. What duck does to Farmer Brown's finished project will sure bring a surprise to all in attendance at the festival.
August 28, 2008
Cronin, Doreen. 2008. Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin.
This picture book is in the popular series, the oh-so-wonderfully-funny, an ever-must-read series that began with Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type and continued with Giggle, Giggle, Quack, Duck for President, and Dooby Dooby Moo. The series features the almost-always-outwitted Farmer Brown and his barn animals--cows, chickens, pigs, ducks, etc. I don't believe I've reviewed any of these books (yet) for the blog. But it's only been a matter of timing, not of love. I love this humorous series, and I highly recommend them all. I don't know if I've ever seen such a perfect pairing than Cronin and Lewin when it comes to writing and illustrating. (Well, maybe Scieszka and Smith...)
In this adventure, Farmer Brown is preparing for the Corn Maze Festival. He's busy working on a maze for his corn fields--he's got big plans and high hopes. But he may have met his match in Duck who has plans of his own for that field. Animals doing silly but fun things is what you'll find in Thump, Quack, Moo.
© Becky Laney of Young Readers
This picture book is in the popular series, the oh-so-wonderfully-funny, an ever-must-read series that began with Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type and continued with Giggle, Giggle, Quack, Duck for President, and Dooby Dooby Moo. The series features the almost-always-outwitted Farmer Brown and his barn animals--cows, chickens, pigs, ducks, etc. I don't believe I've reviewed any of these books (yet) for the blog. But it's only been a matter of timing, not of love. I love this humorous series, and I highly recommend them all. I don't know if I've ever seen such a perfect pairing than Cronin and Lewin when it comes to writing and illustrating. (Well, maybe Scieszka and Smith...)
In this adventure, Farmer Brown is preparing for the Corn Maze Festival. He's busy working on a maze for his corn fields--he's got big plans and high hopes. But he may have met his match in Duck who has plans of his own for that field. Animals doing silly but fun things is what you'll find in Thump, Quack, Moo.
© Becky Laney of Young Readers
November 11, 2009
(K - 2nd grade)
Thump, Quack, Moo is a fun story that kids will enjoy. There is some vocabulary that could prove to be challenging so this might be a great story to read-aloud rather than use for independent reading. With cartoon-like drawings, this story is very entertaining. The duck reminds me of a mischievous child. There is a bit of repitition in the book which will catch young readers' attention. The use of challenging vocabulary introduces the students to new words and will peak their curiosity. The mice in this story provide a little comic relief which add to the light-heartedness of this story.
Related Content Areas:
Math, Science, Language Arts
Lesson Idea:
Since young readers might be unfamiliar with some of the objects that Farmer Brown used to create his corn maze, the teacher could explain the purpose of these objects. For example, the farmer used a compass when he was designing his "statue of Liberty Corn Maze". The teacher could build a lesson around circles and show the students how to draw "perfect" circles with a compass. The teacher could also show the students how to make circles of different sizes using the compass.
Thump, Quack, Moo is a fun story that kids will enjoy. There is some vocabulary that could prove to be challenging so this might be a great story to read-aloud rather than use for independent reading. With cartoon-like drawings, this story is very entertaining. The duck reminds me of a mischievous child. There is a bit of repitition in the book which will catch young readers' attention. The use of challenging vocabulary introduces the students to new words and will peak their curiosity. The mice in this story provide a little comic relief which add to the light-heartedness of this story.
Related Content Areas:
Math, Science, Language Arts
Lesson Idea:
Since young readers might be unfamiliar with some of the objects that Farmer Brown used to create his corn maze, the teacher could explain the purpose of these objects. For example, the farmer used a compass when he was designing his "statue of Liberty Corn Maze". The teacher could build a lesson around circles and show the students how to draw "perfect" circles with a compass. The teacher could also show the students how to make circles of different sizes using the compass.
September 7, 2020
Every October we head to a pumpkin patch in Livermore. Besides picking out pumpkins we go through the Corn Maze. We got our copy of Thump Quack Moo by Doreen Cronin right around the time of our last trip through the Maze and laughed ourselves silly.
The book covers the planning and building of Farmer Brown's annual Corn Maze. This year he gets the whole farm involved. Unfortunately for him, the Duck has ideas of his own. The last page unfolds to reveal a top down view of the Maze they have carefully grown. Duck's changes are immediately apparent.
My only complaint with the book is with its construction. The fold out page is not sturdy enough to handle the unfolding by eager children. On our first reading it ripped at the seam and had to be repaired.
The book covers the planning and building of Farmer Brown's annual Corn Maze. This year he gets the whole farm involved. Unfortunately for him, the Duck has ideas of his own. The last page unfolds to reveal a top down view of the Maze they have carefully grown. Duck's changes are immediately apparent.
My only complaint with the book is with its construction. The fold out page is not sturdy enough to handle the unfolding by eager children. On our first reading it ripped at the seam and had to be repaired.
January 24, 2012
If you've read other farm adventures by Doreen Cronin, you definitely want to read this one, too! Farmer Brown has a lot to do to get ready for the annual Corn Maze Festival. He is making a Statue of Liberty corn maze and wants the animals to help get the farm spruced up for the event. The animals aren't very excited about helping, but he figures out ways to convince them. Things don't turn out quite like he expected, though - especially in regards to Duck! Will Farmer Brown never learn? :)
I love the bit about the mice taking a correspondence course on meteorology! This would be a fun and unconventional read-aloud for an introduction to a unit on weather. :)
I love the bit about the mice taking a correspondence course on meteorology! This would be a fun and unconventional read-aloud for an introduction to a unit on weather. :)
September 9, 2008
Click, Clack, Moo is one of my all-time favorites and the sequels have had an inaurguably hard act to follow. This is the first one I have really enjoyed. It has the same wry tone of silly suspense the other sequels have never quite achieved for me and Farmer Brown and Duck are at their adversarial best. Fun!
September 27, 2022
We just received Thump, Quack, Moo: A wacky adventure by Doreen Cronin at our library. What a nice way to start a Thursday! I love the Cronin/Lewin books (Click, Clack, Moo; Duck for President; etc) so was excited to give this one a go and happily I can say that it didn't disappoint. Of course Duck is up to his ole tricks again and Farmer Brown's reaction is expected. Hint here, watch the mice - they could see it coming too! Pair this with Jane Simmon's Daisy and the Beastie and Duck and Goose by Tad Hills for a shared story time that will just quack you up.
May 15, 2024
Solid 4.5 stars
This book is a solid 4.5 stars and only docking it a half star because it is not quite as good as the first book “Click, Clack, Moo”. While the first book is just fun to read with a fun little storyline and along with its fun and catchy verse, this book has a fun story that is also somewhat suspenseful story. Suspenseful- as in one must wonder what the crazy duck is up to. Also it is a bit goofy how all the animals put their own spin on helping Farmer Brown.
Overall, great book!
This book is a solid 4.5 stars and only docking it a half star because it is not quite as good as the first book “Click, Clack, Moo”. While the first book is just fun to read with a fun little storyline and along with its fun and catchy verse, this book has a fun story that is also somewhat suspenseful story. Suspenseful- as in one must wonder what the crazy duck is up to. Also it is a bit goofy how all the animals put their own spin on helping Farmer Brown.
Overall, great book!
June 27, 2017
A fairly lackluster title, in my opinion. The duck basically destroying the farmer's work did NOT sit well with me. I would have been furious! Still, there aren't a lot of books about mazes out there, so for our marble maze theme, this was successful. And the kids did think it was fun, so there's that.
May 24, 2018
A recommended read aloud for ages 6-8 by the University of Minnesota. A great romp with farmer and duck as they both prepare for the annual corn maze festival. Farmer plans on creating the statue of liberty. Duck has other plans in mind. I think this would be suitable for grades 1-3 and below. A nice sense of humor rewards readers at the end.
Read
September 6, 2019This book is about how Farmer Brown has all of his animals help him with his Statue of Liberty corn maze. The animals and Farmer Brown work hard during the day, then the duck works hard during the night to change the face of the Statue of Liberty to the face of his own. Farmer Brown does not notice until the day of the event.
October 2, 2018
The farm animals are recruited to help the farmer get ready for the annual Corn Maze Festival. Everyone is convinced to help except for duck who finally cooperates, but on the sly he undermines the farmer and does his own thing.
July 16, 2021
I love these books! And I seem to have missed another one. Had to take a children’s book out of the library for their summer challenge, so my 22 year old daughter read it aloud to me and the cat. Brought back fond memories:-)
October 25, 2024
This one is really funny as an adult, but better for older children just because it's a little long, and preschoolers aren't going to know what the Statue of Liberty is unless they are from New York.
October 6, 2017
Another fun adventure with Farmer Brown and his farm animals. What will Duck do this time?
December 18, 2017
Funny. Duck and Farmer Brown have different design ideas for this years corn maze.
March 21, 2018
Cute book about a farmer making a corn maze. All the animals pitch in but duck doesn't want to. When he finally starts helping out, he makes some modifications to the maze. Won't farmer be surprised?
March 29, 2018
What is happening in this book? We are confused.
April 10, 2018
Cute story.
June 18, 2018
Click Clack Moo is by far the best of the books featuring these characters.
November 29, 2018
Picture book - Not quite as good as Click, Clack, Moo, but it's a fun story.
December 7, 2019
Good book for K-2.
December 31, 2019
Another addition to the series about Farmer Brown and his animals, especially duck. I didn’t end up reading this one aloud.
April 13, 2020
I love Doreen Cronin! 😂😂😂😂
May 8, 2020
Farmer Brown wants to do some work on the farm to set up for the annual Corn Maze Festival and gets some help from the animals. With some onomatopoeia, and some mischievous results.
June 16, 2020
Fiction
Early Primary (K-1)
I did not see the end of this book coming. I like how the duck got his revenge by making a Duck of Liberty in the field. It's a creative solution to a problem.
Early Primary (K-1)
I did not see the end of this book coming. I like how the duck got his revenge by making a Duck of Liberty in the field. It's a creative solution to a problem.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews