Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Cronin, D.  (2000).  Click, Clack, Moo:  Cows That Type.  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.  Unpaged, $15.95

Led by the cows, the farm animals demand better conditions from the farmer.  Will the animals and the farmer be able to reach a compromise?

In this book, cows can type.  These cows are not happy with their living conditions on the farm, so one day they type a note to the farmer asking for electric blankets, but the farmer refuses, so the cows go on strike.  The other farm animals soon join in and have their own demands, which they give to the cows to type, but the farmer refuses their demands.  Realizing that it is impossible to run a farm without animals, the cows, the other farm animals, and the farmer reach a compromise, restoring order on the farm. 

This Caldecott Honor book is great for five- and six-year-old children to enjoy during story time.  The pictures are entertaining and colorful, and the story is funny and easy to understand.  This book can be used to demonstrate to children that they cannot always have what they want right away, but good things come to those who are patient or that sometimes they'll have to make compromises and stand up for what they believe in or for what they believe is right.  This was an interesting book to read because of the content.  I think it showed an important lesson in a light-hearted way.  The title refers to the cows and what they do to get better conditions for themselves as well as for the other animals on the farm.

This book has also been honored with the following awards:  Caldecott Honor book; ALA Notable Book; School Library Journal Best Book; Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book of 2000/Picture book; Child Magazine’s Guide to Top Books, Videos, and Software of the Year.

Learn more about Doreen Cronin by visiting her website at http://www.doreencronin.com/www.doreencronin.com/Home.html.  Other books that she's written are Duck for President and Diary of a Worm. 

Betsy Lewin illustrated Click, Clack, Moo:  Cows That Type.  Check out her website at http://www.betsylewin.com/.  Other books she has illustrated are Dooby Dooby Moo (which is also by Doreen Cronin) and The Little Bitty Bakery.  She and Doreen Cronin have worked together often.