School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Everyone in the barnyard has something to say, except for the ladybug, who is a silent observer. But one night, when she overhears two burglars plotting to steal the prized cow, she knows that she must speak up. She not only does, but she also devises a plan to trick the thieves, save the cow, and restore tranquility to the barnyard. Once again, the author of The Gruffalo (Dial, 1999) has created a tiny heroine who outsmarts a much larger foe. The playful rhyming text flows without stumbling and offers the opportunity to demonstrate one's finest animal sounds. Monk's illustrations incorporate paint and collage to depict boldly caricatured participants in farmyard tableaux. Hidden within the farcical story is a message about language and the power of saying the right thing; the perfect word (or woof) at just the right moment can indeed save the day.-Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Donaldson's (Stick Man) captivating language and Monks's (the Indie Kidd series) brightly colored collages tell the tale of a quiet ladybug who foils an attempted robbery of a farm's prize cow. An excellent read-aloud or lap book, it's full of slapstick action, animal noises, and repeated phrases that invite participation. Donaldson's rhymed verse is both rhythmic and skillfully executed. "?NEIGH!' said the horse. OINK!' said the hog./ BAA!' said the sheep. WOOF!' said the dog./ And one cat meowed while the other one purred... and the ladybug never said a word." When the ladybug finally does speak up, she's a chatterbox, explaining how she overheard the thieves' intentions and how the animals can outsmart them in the dark. Monks's collages feature varying perspectives, unexpected textures, and a humorous map of the robbers' plan. To outwit the would-be robbers, the animals make each others' noises, directing them not to the prize cow, but to the duck pond. It's not clear why the animals need to trade noises (not just places) to mislead the thieves, but that in no way diminishes the book's fun. Ages 2-6. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
A ladybug who "never said a word" overhears robbers plotting to steal the farmer's prize cow. She saves the day by speaking up to tell the animals how they can foil the plan. Donaldson's rhyming text is full of kid-friendly language ("the farmer woke and said, 'Golly gosh!'") and is well matched with Monks's vibrant collage illustrations. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
The ladybug in this rhyming story lives on a farm with the usual assortment of animals, each with his or her own special sound ( And the cow said, Moo!' and the hen said, Cluck!' etc.), but the ladybug never said a word until she overhears two bad men plotting to steal the prize cow. The ladybug alerts the others and develops a plan to avert the heist involving each animal taking on the sound of one of the other farm animals. The men are caught, and the animals return to making their trademark sounds while the ladybug goes back to being silent. Filled with drama, lively action, and a large supporting cast of characters, this is a mini play more than a fully fleshed story. The appealing and brightly colored collage illustrations, rhyming text, and assorted animal sounds make it a natural for individual or group read-alouds.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2010 Booklist
