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Summary
Summary
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.
Author Notes
Gris Grimly is a celebrated painter, sculptor, and filmmaker who has created a rich collection of spooky picture books, including the Wicked Nursery Rhymes trilogy and his own retellings of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , Frankenstein , and Old MacDonald Had a Farm . He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and a young son, whose love of Old MacDonald inspired Gris to reimagine the childhood classic.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
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. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
This version of the well-known song follows Old MacDonald as he frenetically ricochets around his farm checking on animals; in a surprise ending, he discovers a bear in the barn: "E-I-E-I...UH-OH!" The super-stylized, borderline-creepy aesthetic of Grimly's watercolors feels mismatched to the pastoral setting, but this MacDonald's frazzled expressions may get a few laughs. An endnote describes Grimly's farming roots; musical notation included. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Grimly goes perky in this updated take on an old classic. Known best for his macabre imagery, Grimly shifts gears entirely in this kooky adaptation for the younger set. A gnomish, white Old MacDonald visits the animals on his farm. Though these illustrations are recognizably from the hand of the dark, unnerving artist he's always been, these have an effervescent cheer, emblematic in the sunflower affixed to Old MacDonald's hat. As readers watch, Old MacDonald visits his chickens, turkey, ducks, donkey, pigs, cow, sheep, and, in a bit of a last-minute twist, bear. This is an Old MacDonald that points his toes as he traipses around his farm. He's just so plumb delighted with everything he sees that his joy and enthusiasm are contagious. The sheer joy in the proceedings threatens to distract readers from Grimly's wondrous watercolor work. His use of shadow and light on the rural landscape may leave even casual readers breathless. An artist's note at the end provides copious context, explaining that the illustrator came from a long line of farmers and tipping a hat to the book's primary audience and muse: his own son. Sheet music is also included. For those who want a little more pizzazz in their storytime fare, Grimly packs a punch in a pretty package. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
