BOOM BAH!

Farm animals build a percussion band one “Ting!” at a time. It starts when a mouse taps a spoon against a cup. The sound attracts a cat, who doesn’t chase the mouse but rather wants to play too. The mouse calls a rooster, a pig and a donkey. Before long, they are all marching with articles borrowed from the kitchen. A quartet of fluffy chicks adds tinkly bells attached to flower stems. This attracts flying birds, who carry a festive string of colorful pennants. Along comes another band (of sheep and horses and bulls and a dog) in bright red-and-gold band jackets. What else can the makeshift farm band do but...join the parade! “Tah-dah!” Cummings’s minimal text moves along in clipped phrases, punctuated by onomatopoeic effects, creating a splendid read-aloud chant. Rycroft’s buoyant watercolors, arranged gracefully against expansive white space, add zest. Even the youngest readers should be able to handle the simple text and catch the rhythm (though lapses of logic might bother older children). Hide the silverware! (Picture book. 2-6)