We love a musical story and The MOOsic Makers has a fabulous country and western feel. Cows in checked shirts play MOO-grass music on mandolins but not all the farmyard animals are happy, they want to make music too! But is there money in MOO-grass music or is DisCOW the music of the future?
The Story: Joni’s cows, Nutmeg and Celery, make MOO-grass music but Esme, a sheep, and Billy, a donkey, are jealous – they want music lessons too. When a storm blows the barn roof off, Celery and Nutmeg go busking and are approached by Georgie Smarm who offers them fame and fortune. But Georgie can’t be trusted and Celery and Nutmeg return home. Can they find another way to make money? An idea that involves everybody?
Celery and Nutmeg successfully perform DisCOW music all over the country but soon learn the perils of trusting a stranger. They ditch their pink dresses and are welcomed back at the farm but when Joni comes up with a new idea to raise money, Billy makes sure that the other animals also take part.
The text is fun to read and full of wonderful cow puns – MOOtiny, liMOOsine, MOOOOOving… We love Barbara Bakos’ illustrations, her farm animals have fabulous facial expressions, especially Esme and Billy who feel sidelined as Celery and Nutmeg’s success grows. There are so many amusing little details in the pictures, we particularly enjoyed reading all the posters and love the way that Celery and Nutmeg’s pink dresses get used again!
The MOOsic Makers shows children to be wary of trusting strangers and also highlights the importance of staying true to your ideals and beliefs. It also advocates supporting family and friends when the going gets tough. Celery and Nutmeg’s heads were turned by the thought of the money they could earn although ultimately their hearts were always in the right place.
This is a fun story and we love the way that the animals raise money. It would be great to see more of The MOOsic Makers!
Age Range: 3 +
Author: Heather Pindar / Illustrator: Barbara Bakos
Thank you to Maverick Publishing for sending a review copy of this very aMOOsing picture book.
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