Down by the Barn

by Will Hillenbrand

Overview

Down by the barn, early in the morning, a farmer drives his tractor, stopping along the way to pick up a calf, then a chick, then a pig. The group of animals grows and grows until at last they reach their destination…and find a surprise. Charming illustrations and rhythmic text filled with sound words make this the perfect read-aloud for young children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781477847312
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	05/20/2014
Pages:	1
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD620L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Will Hillenbrand wrote and illustrated Down by the Barn in response to fans of Down by the Station, who wished for a companion book.

Will has written and/or illustrated more than 50 books.

He lives with his wife, Jane, and their son, Ian, in Terrace Park, Ohio. To learn more, visit: www.willhillenbrand.com.

Editorial Reviews

03/24/2014
Fifteen years after his Down by the Station, Hillenbrand offers a cheerful companion book that transplants the familiar nursery rhyme to a rural setting. There’s still a train of sorts involved—it’s a tractor piloted by a farmer dog with a pair of wagons serving as train cars. A scarecrow with a wide smile is the first to board, and he’s quickly followed by various baby animals who clamber aboard, adding cumulative sound effects to the end of each verse (“Puff, Puff,/ click, clank,/ moo, moo,/ OFF WE GO!”). The one-syllable animal names that are swapped in for the word “station” aren’t quite as melodious to sing aloud (“Down by the goats/ early in the morning”), but Hillenbrand’s smudgy-edged mixed-media artwork offers plenty of diversions, including a tense moment when a fox pounces at a yellow chick that has wandered off. The fox situation is handled with a well-aimed bucket to the head, and the story ends on a peaceful note, with the scarecrow leading story time for a group of young humans and animals. Ages 3–5. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Hum the children’s tune Down by the Station before beginning to read this delightful adaptation inviting readers to visit the farm. An affable dog wearing a red cap, picks up baby farm animals in two little wagons following behind the stylized blue tractor. His first passenger is a book-carrying scarecrow who’s seen leaping from his perch on the copyright page. Each time the driver makes a stop for another animal, the refrain “Puff, Puff, Click, Clank, OFF WE GO!” repeats. With each pick-up the sound the animal makes is added to the refrain. Hillenbrand depicts the animal families as two parents and the offspring, e.g. the bull, the cow and a calf; the rooster, the hen and a chick. Drama is added through the art with the appearance of a red fox seen prowling in the distance. The wagons fill and at one of the final stops the brazen fox is right beside the farm well where the goats and their kid are waiting. The two double-page openings that follow explode with excitement as the baby goat kicks a bucket of water that lands on the fox’s head. The wagon ride continues and concludes at a large, leafy tree, complete with a tree house and a group of school children bounding from yellow school bus. The final scene shows the scarecrow sitting in a tire swing reading to the children. Hillenbrand’s colorful drawings capture the movement of the tractor bouncing across the farm field, the affection among the animals, and the good humor of the tractor driver. Each double-page spread moves the action of the story much like the movement of an animated film. The simple and familiar language will encourage young children to add their voices to the voice of the adult reading to them. Reviewer: Carol J. Wolfenbarger, Ph.D.; Ages 1 to 5.

Children's Literature - Carol J. Wolfenbarger

06/01/2014
PreS-K—Fans of Hillenbrand's Down by the Station (Houghton Harcourt, 2002), in which young zoo animals board a train, will appreciate this companion title. In this cheerful story, young animals riding in carts behind a tractor meet up with a group of children disembarking from a school bus for storytime on the farm. The simple yet comforting text contains repetitive phrases, such as "See the tractor driver pull his little lever…" and invites youngsters to join the reader in making the ever-lengthening sounds of the passengers as they board the tractor ("Puff, Puff, click, clank, moo, moo, peep, peep, OFF WE GO!"). The story even contains a moment of dramatic tension when a fox, which has been watching the animals on every page, leaps out to grab a chick. He is put in his place and ends up listening to storytime with the other animals and children. The bright and cheerful illustrations feature a cast of endearing animals and lots of humorous details. The exuberant art, combined with the pattern and repetition in the text, makes this a perfect read aloud.—Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA

School Library Journal