Note from the (African-American) illustrator

Cozy wintry read-aloud that combines the classic words of a Margaret Wise Brown story with the rich and vibrant full-page paintings of master illustrator Jerry Pinkney. I love this depiction of life on the farm and would happily choose it for a bedtime lapsit.

(Preschool storytime review) Jerry Pinkney is so talented at interpreting classic stories with his beautiful art. Here he brings to life an unpublished poem by Margaret Wise Brown (of Goodnight Moon fame). I just love sharing this book with groups of preschoolers. The details of the individual animals prompt a lot of lively discussion. ("Cattle are cows!" "Here come the bats!" "Ooh is that a tiger?!" "Awww, a calf, a baby cow...") Then the quiet, gentle refrain settles us back in the story together.