Cronin, Doreen.  2000.  Click, Clack, Moo:  Cows That Type.  Illustrated by Betsy Lewin.  New York:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.  ISBN:  0689832133.
Farmer Brown is hearing strange sounds coming from the barn:  �click, clack, moo; clickety, clack, moo.�   The cows have found an old typewriter in the barn, and trouble is brewing!   They want electric blankets to ease them through the cold nights, and refuse to give milk until their demands are met.  The enraged Farmer Brown refuses, but the next day he finds, to his dismay, that the hens have joined the mutiny.  Duck, being a neutral party, is called on to mediate the situation, and the cows and hens agree to hand over the typewriter in exchange for electric blankets.   Farmer Brown keeps his word and delivers the blankets, but the next morning he hears a sound that makes the blood freeze in his veins:  �click, clack, quack; clickety, clack, quack.� 

This hilarious picture book will appeal to children � and yes, even adults � of all ages.  Toddlers will delight in the antics of the animals, and older children will appreciate the humor and irony of the situation Farmer Brown finds himself in.  There is even something here for budding feminists and animal-rights activists.  Children are introduced to the sober concepts of compromise, negotiation, and civil disobedience in this light-hearted, but memorable, story.  Particularly funny is the image of the other farm animals snooping around the padlocked barn door, hoping to hear what is going on inside.  Unfortunately, their efforts are foiled because none of them understand �moo.�

The art in the book is the product of a complicated process involving multiple layers of watercolor washes applied to black-line photocopied drawings. The illustrations contribute as much to the humor of the book as does the text.  Betsy Lewin�s depictions of pie-eyed cows with bulging udders, beady-eyed lurking chickens, and bottoms-up diving ducks are marvelous.  The helpless rage of Farmer Brown is reflected in his gesticulating silhouette, and his fingers flying at the typewriter show his steely determination.  The text is all in an easily-readable bold font, except for the typewritten messages.  These are written in the uneven courier font typical of antiquated typewriters.  (Except for Farmer Brown�s tidier typewritten message � he clearly traded the barnyard model for an updated Smith-Corona electric.)

The unlikely scenario of humble farm animals employing technology to demand better working conditions puts a new spin on an old story.  Children of every age can appreciate the heart�s desire for simple comforts.  The fact �that typewriters may be as anachronistic to today's kids as rumble seats and spinning wheels won't lessen their enjoyment of this amusing story.� (Horn Book Magazine, March 1, 2000)


Distinctions and Awards for Click, Clack, Moo
Caldecott Honor Book
Publisher�s Weekly Best Children�s Books
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
ALA Notable Books for Children
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
Red Clover Award
New York State Charlotte Award
New York Times Bestseller


Relevant Websites
Doreen Cronin�s Website:  http://www.doreencronin.com
Betsy Lewin�s Website:  http://www.betsylewin.com


Source
Books in Print [database online].  Available from http://www.booksinprint.com.  Accessed via TWU Library 10 September 2004.
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