Story County: Here We Come! (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Story County: Here We Come! Hope Morrison Anderson, Derek . Story County: Here We Come!; written and illus. by Derek Anderson. Orchard/Scholastic, 2011. [40p]. ISBN 978-0-545-16844-1 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad 5-8 yrs. Five friends—Farmer, Duck, Pig, Chicken, and Miss Cow—gather together with the intent of creating a farm. They start with the barn, then the fields, then a scarecrow, then fences, eventually adding the sky so as to complete their endeavor. At day's end, the five friends settle down for a bedtime story ("Once upon a farm . . . there were five friends. Together they made one wonderful farm. The end"), excited about the adventures the next day holds. At its best, this is a whimsical tale about a magical farm, where fields come in bags ("Instant Farm Field") and favorite foods (including pizza, jelly beans, and dog bones) become crops, and audiences will probably giggle at the silliness of the concept. There is also an appealing depiction of teamwork, as the friends take turns in roles of leadership and roles of assistance. The narrative is stiff, though, and the language flat, so that much of the whimsy is lost in execution, and the "Story County" appellation is tangentially wedged into the tale. Anderson's bold compositions feature thick black outlines and large fields of strong colors; the five friends are broad, solid cartoons, and the vivid figures would carry well across a crowded carpet. You'd be better off sticking with Cronin's tried and true Click, Clack, Moo (BCCB 9/00) for barnyard antics, but this might fit neatly into a farm-themed story hour. [End Page 317] Copyright © 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois