Books in New Wave Readers series

A farmer's simple drive to the country fair turns into a chaotic journey as more and more of his animals want to climb aboard. The obliging farmer lets each group of animals join him -- first a single chicken, followed by two sheep, three pigs and four cows -- until his little truck gets stuck at the bottom of a steep hill. Luckily his passengers are as helpful as he is and everyone gets out to push. The trip ends happily with a spectacular crash into the pie contest tent where everyone eats their fill. Children love to chant the catchy patterned rhymes ("Farmer, farmer, Going to the fair. Chicken wants a ride. There's room to spare.") and return to the book again and again. John Bianchi's wonky cartoon illustrations keep interest high and provide lots of laughs while effectively developing the theme of sharing.

Just as she is getting ready for bed, a farmer notices that ten of her barnyard animals are preparing for an all-night hoedown. Still wearing her nightgown, she sneaks out to watch them as they dance through the night. As the animals lay down one by one, she counts them off in standard countdown fashion. "Ten farm animals dancing in a line, horse got dizzy, then there were nine." Young readers love the rhythm and rhyme in this book, predicting each number as they turn the page to see what animal drops out from the party. John Bianchi's goofy animal characters are as endearing as ever and he manages to work in his usual visual subplots (including a pair of courting chickens who almost stay awake until sunrise).

Poor Red Bug doesn't know anything about the cold wind and snow winter. His friends ask him, Red Bug, Red Bug, Where will you go? Winter is coming, With cold wind and snow. But the animals who are warning him of the changing season are not keen to let him burrow into their warm winter coats. Each potential hibernation site (feathers, fur, wool and hair) belongs to a reluctant host who sends the bug away again. Finally, Red Bug finds a perfect spot that bothers no one and the book ends happily with him snoring away in front of a fireplace. (Yes, you guessed it, as snug as a bug in a rug.) The book's rhyming pattern is a wonderful reading device for developing readers and the bug's search provides a playful look at the way various animal's adapt to the cold. Youngsters love to chant the text with or without the book in hand.