Old MacDonald Had A Farm
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
A wholly original take on this beloved American anthem from renowned watercolor master, Gris Grimly--with a surprise twist ending bound to delight!Celebrated creator Gris Grimly, widely known for his gothic style illustrations, turns over a new creative leaf in his glorious interpretation of this beloved preschool anthem. Inspired by his son's love for Old MacDonald and his own family's farming history, and with stunning, sweeping watercolor illustrations, and a surprise twist ending that kids will relish, Gris brings this beloved song to glorious new life. Young children will love reading and singing along as they join our nimble footed Farmer on his morning jaunt across the farmyard and he greets each of his farm animals and beckons them to join his parade. Little ones will delight when the parade culminates in an unexpected e twist ending as Farmer opens the big red barn doors...and GASP...there's a BEAR hidden inside! With a moving artists' note from Gris explaining the history of this song, and his personal connection to it, this delightful retelling has all the makings of a classic.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In contrast to the sinister characters for which he's best known, Grimly offers a (mostly) sweet-tempered picture book. An artist's note explains his choice of nursery rhyme: it's his son's favorite, and it recalls Grimly's upbringing on a Nebraska farm. His Old MacDonald fills his overalls generously, wears a straw hat and a big grin, and dances through his fields on peg legs. His farm is a paradise of silliness and mayhem, filled with animals whose necks and legs are impossibly stretchy. His hens are stout (one is hatching something that... doesn't seem to be a chicken), he finds his donkey chowing down in the pumpkin patch, and he gives a runt piglet to his cow to nurse. Throughout, the atmospheric lighting, skewed perspectives, and autumnal palette hint at the darker corners of Grimly's imagination. When the sun goes down, the animals trail home behind the farmer's jalopy of a tractor and that's when things take an unexpected turn (think The Winter's Tale). Grimly taps into the almost manic energy of this nursery rhyme and distorts it just enough to make it fresh. Ages 3 5.
