Bibliography
Theme 8: Down on the Farm
The books listed below may be available through publishers, distributors such as bookstores or online retailers, or library systems.
Recommended Leveled Books for Browsing
The Very Busy Spider
by Eric Carle
Putnam 1989 (32p)
Farm animals try to divert an industrious spider from spinning her web.
Classic
Calves
by Kelly Doudna
ABDO 1999 (24p)
Simple text and photos describe the traits and behavior of calves. See others in series.
Science
Farm Animals
by Wendy Barish
Scholastic 1998 (32p)
In an introduction to farm animals, see-through plastic pages change the pictures.
Cock-A-Doodle Doo
by Steve Lavis
Lodestar 1997 (32p)
Ten noisy animals crow, woof, oink, and moo in this farmyard counting book.
Math
A Day at Greenhill Farm
by Sue Nicholson
DK 1998 (32p) also paper
When the rooster crows, a busy day begins at Greenhill Farm.
Social Studies
Big Fat Hen
by Keith Baker
Harcourt 1999 (32p) paper
A hen and her chicks count to ten in this rhyme.
Math
Rosie's Walk
by Pat Hutchins
A hungry fox slinks behind an unsuspecting hen as she walks around the barnyard. Available in Spanish as El paseo de Rosie.
Classic
Where's My Egg?
by Tony Mitton
Candlewick 1999 (32p)
Mama Hen searches all over the farm for her lost egg in a rhyming story with split pages.
Big Red Barn
by Margaret Wise Brown
Harper 1989 (32p) also paper
Rhyming text tells the story of the animals that live in a big red barn. Available in Spanish as El gran granero rojo.
Recommended Books for Teacher Read Aloud
* The Pig Is in the Pantry, The Cat Is on the Shelf
by Shirley Mozelle
Clarion 2000 (32p)
Eight farm animals make mischief in Mr. McDuffel's house.
Who Wakes Rooster?
by Clare Hodgson Meeker
Simon 1996 (32p)
When the sun doesn't shine to wake rooster, all the animals on the farm stay asleep.
The Farm
by Gail Saunders-Smith
Pebble 1998 (24p)
A simple photo essay describes the animals and crops raised on a farm.
Social Studies
My Goose Betsy
by Trudi Braun
Candlewick 1999 (32p)
The narrator describes how her goose Betsy looks and behaves.
Science
Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round
by Teri Sloat
DK Ink 1999 (32p)
A twister roars through Farmer Brown's farm and mixes-up all of the animals' usual sounds.
On the Farm
by Henry Pluckrose
Watts 1998 (32p) also paper
Photos and text present some of the machines used on farms, including tractors and balers.
Social Studies
Is There Room on the Feather Bed?
by Libba Moore Gray
Orchard 1997 (32p)
A duck, pig, and other animals crowd onto a wee couple's feather bed in this cumulative tale.
Farmyard Tales from Far and Wide
by Wendy Cooling and Rosslyn Moran
Barefoot 1998 (47p)
Seven traditional farmyard stories from Germany, India, China, and other countries.
Multicultural
Pigs
by Gail Gibons
Holiday 1999 (32p)
An introduction to pigs, their physical characteristics, and their behavior.
Science
This and That
by Julie Sykes
Holt 1996 (32p)
Cat collects "this and that" from her barnyard friends to make a bed for her new kittens.
Recommended Books for Shared Reading
Barn Cat: A Counting Book
by Carol P. Saul
Little 1998 (32p) also paper
As a cat waits patiently for a saucer of milk, rhyming verse describes the animals around her.
Math
Let's Go Visiting
by Sue Williams
Harcourt 1998 (32p)
A boy visits his farmyard friends, from one brown foal to six yellow puppies.
Math
Over on the Farm
by Christopher Gunson
Scholastic 1997 (32p)
Farmyard animals and their offspring star in this bright counting rhyme.
Math
* Cat Goes Fiddle-I-Fee
by Paul Galdone
Clarion 1985 (32p) paper
A cumulative rhyme introduces children to the sounds farm animals make.
Old MacDonald
by Amy Schwartz
Scholastic 1999 (32p)
Old MacDonald and his entire family appear in this classic children's song.
Music
Z-Z-Zoink!
by Bernard Most
Harcourt 1999 (32p)
A pig whose snoring wakes up the farmyard animals discovers the perfect place to sleep.
Recommended Books for Phonics Read Aloud
A Box Can Be Many Things
by Dana Meachen Rau
Children's 1997 (32p) also paper
A girl and her brother pretend a box is a cave, a car, a house, and other things.
Hot Dog
by Molly Coxe
Golden 1998 (32p)
On a hot day on the farm, a small brown dog trying to cool down gets into trouble.
The Fox on the Box
by Barbara Gregorich
School Zone 1996 (32p) paper
A fox eats, plays, and jumps on the top of a box.
No, No Titus!
by Claire Masurel
North-South 1997 (32p) also paper
When a fox tries to raid a chicken coop, a farm dog named Titus finally discovers what his job is. Available in Spanish as ¡No, Titi, No!