Cleverly riffing on the popular children’s song and also giving the story wryly humorous Law & Order vibes, Teague’s text will work well as a read-aloud for group and one-on-one sharing alike. Colorful acrylic illustrations are amusingly exaggerated, especially the expressions on the human characters. Here a ha ha, there a ha ha—this one’s bound to elicit chuckles.
Description
From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author-illustrator Mark Teague comes a hilarious whodunit picture book about something suspicious afoot on Old MacDonald’s farm!
Something mysterious—and silly!—is up at Old MacDonald’s farm. Thank goodness Officer Busby is on the case, because, as she says, “Whoever did this knew their business.” Silly business, that is. What could possibly be going on? Well, it’s April 1st. And everyone knows what that means…
Reviews
Moove over, Law and Order—a daffy prank spree is unfolding at the Old MacDonald farm in this barn burner of a mystery spoof. . . . Teague brings a deadpan quality to acrylic scenes that are here paired with sly song references (“Just as I suspected,” Officer Busby quips. “Everywhere a smell-smell”) and hardboiled dialogue (“Someone made your chickens look foolish. I want to know why”). And while it ultimately appears that crime does pay, even actions-have-consequences hardliners should get a giggle out of this farmyard whodunit.
In Teague’s humorous whodunit, the scene of the crime is Old MacDonald’s farm. Officer Busby is taking the mystery seriously, speaking the deadpan patter of old detective movies. . . . Teague’s signature illustration style fills the pages with barnyard critters, the befuddled farmer, and the diligent officer, all in a muted acrylic palette. . . . a good pick anywhere Teague’s books are popular.
