Publisher's Weekly Review
Old MacDonald meets Dr. Mom in this husband-and-wife team's jovial lesson on how we catch cold. A bee visits a farm, sneezes and passes his cold to the cow. The cow catches not only the sneeze and the cough, but the bee's buzz as well. Chaos reigns as each farm animal ``catches'' another animal's noise and the confused farmer feeds them the wrong foods. Finally, the wise rabbit ends the epidemic by covering his mouth as he sneezes. Easygoing wit permeates this book, from Clemesha's whimsical style to the surprise punchline, in which the bee reveals the source of its cold by emitting an exceptionally loud roar. The switcheroo of farm animal noises and foods is a motherlode of silliness for the younger set, as well as an opportunity (or an obligation) for parents to hone their animal impersonations as they read aloud. The message of avoiding contagion is probably of interest to many, but the book's humor is even more infectious than the bee's cold. Ages 3-6. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Fiction: PB A coughing, sneezing bee gives his cold -- and his buzz -- to the cow. She, in turn, gives the cold and her moo to the pig, and so on, until all the animals are mixed up and the farmer feeds fish to the rabbit. Bright sketches cheerfully depict some very surprised animals. A dandy to read aloud. Horn Rating: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration. Reviewed by: aeq (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
When the bee sneezes, the cow catches his cold--``She caught the cough and the sniffle and the sneeze ah-choo, and it was odd because she caught the buzz...'Buzzzzz. Cough cough, sniffle sniffle, ah-choo!''' When the pig gets the cold, he gets the moo; the duck catches his oink, and the dog gets the duck's quack. And so on in this deliciously silly story--with clever new rhymes worked into each repetition of the tricky, catchy rhythm until a sensible rabbit stops the chain by covering his mouth. Then the farmer feeds them according to their new voices, causing even more dismay. There's a rousing denouement when the animals pass the word back, confront the bee, and learn where he got his cold. Grand for group sharing, and just right for dramatization or a puppet show. Meisel's lively, cartoony illustrations add to the fun, though--like the best of folklore--this wonderfully cadenced tale can stand on its own. (Picture book. 3-7)
Booklist Review
Ages 3-5. Particularly suited to libraries looking to raise the noise level during story hours, this rambunctious book will have kids mooing, and oinking, and giggling. Visiting a farm, a bee with a cold passes it on to the cow, who not only ah-choos and sniffles but starts buzzing as well. Next, the pig catches the cold, but he also catches the moo. "Moo, moo," said the pig. "Moooo. Cough cough, sniffle sniffle, ah-choo!" So it goes, with ducks oinking and roosters barking. It goes on a little too long, actually; the fun might have stayed crisper if it were more contained. But kids will find the hilarity in animals' taking on the sounds of their neighbors and will enjoy the fun-filled watercolors outlined in ink that capture all the absurdity of the situation. (Reviewed May 1, 1993)0060208082Ilene Cooper