Doreen Cronin
For more information about Doreen Cronin, visit her web site www.doreencronin.com.
Reviews
Click, Clack, Moo : Cows That Type
Doreen Cronin
pictures by Betsy Lewin
Cows that type? Impossible!" That's what Farmer
Brown thinks when he first hears the "click, clack" from the
barn, but then he reads the note the cows write him. All they want is
electric blankets for the cold barn. When he refuses, they go on strike.
What's worse for the farmer is that the strike spreads to the cold hens
as well. Duck finally negotiates a compromise. Unfortunately for Farmer
Brown, the ducks have learned from all this, leaving us with a smile at
the ending. This broadly humorous nonsense finds an appropriately bold,
almost slapdash visual counterpart in Lewin's illustrations. Thick, brushed
black lines define the characters and farm environment, while washes of
color help emphasize gestures and evoke emotions, as when the red door
symbolizes the farmer's rage. Great slapstick also suggests thoughts on
animal rights. 2000, Simon & Schuster, $15.00. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewers:
Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
Click, Clack, Moo : Cows That Type
Doreen Cronin
pictures by Betsy Lewin
Doreen Cronin's fantasy story, CLICK CLACK MOO: COWS
THAT TYPE, is delightful. Farmer Brown's cows have found an old typewriter
in the barn and start using it to type notes, stating they are on strike
until their demands (electric blankets for chilly nights, etc.) are met.
Eventually, the chickens get involved, as well as the ducks, which represent
the neutral party in the bargaining process. Farmer Brown thinks he has
the problem solved, but in actuality, this story is probably just the
beginning of more troubles with his demanding farm animals. Even though
it would probably be classified as an easy fiction, there are a few obvious
vocabulary words that may need to be explained to a younger audience.
This book could also be used in a high school class to enlighten the subject
of "negotiation"! Grades 1-4. 2000, Simon & Shuster, Unpaged,
$15.00. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Jacque Childress (Heart of Texas Reviews
(Vol. 13, No. 1))
Best Books:
• The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2001; Bank Street College
of Education; United States
• Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United
States
• Children's Choices, 2001; International Reading Association; United
States
• The Children's Literature Choice List, 2001; Children's Literature;
United States
• Not Just for Children Anymore!, 2001; Children's Book Council;
United States
• Notable Books for Children, 2001; American Library Association-ALSC;
United States
• Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, 2001; National
Council of Teachers of English; United States
• Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, February 2000; Cahners; United
States
• Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002;
California Department of Education; California
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, March 2000; Cahners;
United States
• School Library Journal: Best Books, 2000; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
• ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award Winner 2001 Picture Books
United States
• American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award
Finalist 2001 Children-Illustrated United States
• Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Winner 2002 Maryland
• Bill Martin Jr Picture Book Award Winner 2002 United States
• Charlotte Award Winner 2002 Picture Book United States
• Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly Commended 2001 United States
• Colorado Children's Book Award Runner Up 2002 Picture Book Colorado
• Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's
Literature Honor Book 2000 United States
• Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor Book 2001 United States
• Red Clover Children's Choice Picture Book Award Winner 2002 Vermont
• Storytelling World Awards Honor 2001 Stories for Young Listeners
United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
• 2X2 Reading List, 2001; Nominee; Texas
• Arizona Young Readers' Award, 2002; Nominee; Arizona
• Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Reading List, 2003; Nominee; Arkansas
• Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Maryland
• Charlotte Book Awards, 2002; Nominee; New York
• Buckeye Children's Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Ohio
• Building Block Picture Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Missouri
• California Young Reader Medal, 2003; Nominee; California
• Delaware Diamonds, 2001-2002; Nominee; Delaware
• Flicker Tale Children's Book Award, 2002; Nominee; North Dakota
• Georgia Children's Literature Awards, 2003; Nominee; Georgia
• Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2003; Nominee; Kentucky
• Maryland Children’s Book Award, 2002; Nominee; Maryland
• Michigan Reader's Choice Award, 2002; Nominee; Michigan
• Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award, 2001-2002; Nominee;
Pennslyvania
• Treasure State Award, 2002; Nominee; Montana
• Utah Children's Book Awards, 2002; Nominee; Utah
• Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, 2002; Nominee;
Washington
• Young Hoosier Book Award, 2003; Nominee; Indiana
ISBN:0689832133
Diary of a Worm
Doreen Cronin
pictures by Harry Bliss
Diary of a Worm has LOTS of dirt, but mainly it's got
a delightful sense of humor. Again, written in diary form (and if your
children ask how a worm can hold a pencil, the cover illustration addresses
that wonderfully) we learn three things that worms (or this worm at least)
should always remember: "1. The earth gives us everything we need.
2. When we dig tunnels, we help take care of the earth. 3. Never bother
Daddy when he's eating the newspaper." This is the book that gives
us our "near death" experience as we see what the underside
of a shoe looks like to a worm when it has slithered onto a hopscotch
game. One of my favorite parts is the school dance. "Last night I
went to the school dance. You put your head in. You put your head out.
You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself about. That's all we could
do." The illustration shows these semi-disgusted worm faces looking
at each other realizing maybe that the Hokey Pokey was not the best choice
of dances for worms to do. Our little worm lists reasons he likes and
dislikes being a worm. No cavities because he has no teeth (that's good),
can't chew gum (that's bad). The end papers of the book have photos from
his photo album including the family vacation on Compost Island. 2003,
HarperCollins, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Sharon Levin
(Children's Literature)
Diary of a Worm
Doreen Cronin
pictures by Harry Bliss
Our worm hero is introduced on the cover, writing the
diary that is the text. His prize photos and mementos are taped into the
end papers. With his jaunty baseball cap, he is far more than the average
worm. In entries from March to August, our narrator has adventures with
family, friends, and hopscotch players, goes to school, learns lessons
and wisdom from his family, does an unforgettable "hokey pokey,"
and puts in some good words for ecology. He's a real charmer with a sense
of humor. Bliss's cartoon characters in context tickle our funny bones.
A bed is made from an empty tea bag carton, the worm youngsters sit around
mushroom tables, one worm has a scraggly beard. Designed mainly as vignettes,
the illustrations emphasize the actions in the variety of the worm's experiences
through the days, similar in many ways to those of human youngsters. 2003,
Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins Publishers, $15.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers:
Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
Diary of a Worm
Doreen Cronin
pictures by Harry Bliss
This is the diary of a worm. Through this diary, the
young worm tells the good things and the bad things about being a worm.
Surprisingly, the worm is not much different than you or me. This would
be a good book to show students how to make journal entries or how to
take the worm's good and bad points and turn them into a comparison paper
for TAKS writing. Fiction. Grades 2-4. 2003, Joanna Cotler Books, Unpaged.,
$16.89. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Lola Barnes (Heart of Texas Reviews
(Vol. 16, No. 2))
Best Books:
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2003; Cahners;
United States
ISBN:006000150X
Giggle, Giggle, Quack
Doreen Cronin
illustrated by Betsy Lewin
Once again, the animals on Brown's farm are exciting
and hilarious. When Farmer Brown decides to take a vacation, he leaves
his brother Bob in charge of the animals. Bob follows Farmer Brown's instructions
exactly until he hears giggles coming from the animals. What are those
animals up to now? This is a very funny and entertaining book that will
capture the reader's attention. The pictures are adorable and sure to
make everyone smile. Fiction. n/a. 2002, Simon & Schuster, Unpaged,
$15.95. Reviewer: : Samantha Abila (Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol.
15, No. 1))
Best Books
• Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2003; H.W.
Wilson; United States
• The Children's Literature Choice List, 2002; Children's Literature;
United States
• Choices, 2003; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
• Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2002; Cahners; United
States
• Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, April 15, 2002; Cahners;
United States
• School Library Journal Book Review Stars, June 2002; Cahners;
United States
• School Library Journal: Best Books, 2002; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
• American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award
Finalist 2003 Illustrated Children's Book United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
• Colorado Children's Book Award List, 2003-2004; Nominee; Colorado
ISBN:0689845065
Updated 12/15/03
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