Whoops!

Three animals--a cat that can't meow, a dog that can't woof, and a mouse that can't squeak--seek out an old lady with magical powers, who promises to "find a spell to make you all well." But while she seems capable of conjuring up something ("She went to look at her big spell book./ She cast a spell, and the whole house shook"), her efforts always leave the three dubious-looking animals assigned to the wrong sound: "And the cat said, baa!/ And the dog said, neigh!/ And the mouse by the shoe/ said, "moo! moo! moo!" Will the old lady ever set things right? Yes, but not before readers are tickled by British author Moore's heady cocktail of onomatopoeia and rapid-fire rhythms ("There was a bang! and a clang! and a thundering sound./ Then the tumbledown house turned around and around"). Ayto's (A Very Pirate Christmas) quirky drawings and totemic characters are equally wonderful: each misguided spell gets its own color scheme, and the elderly spell caster, who is often sent airborne by her magical exertions, is one part Dr. Strangelove, one part Iris Apfel. Ages 3-7. (Feb.)

Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1--With bouncing meter that at first plays off the structure of a cumulative rhyme, a cat, a dog, and a mouse find themselves not knowing how to do their respective meows, woofs, and squeaks. Following an owl's advice, they visit an old lady in a tumbledown house that lies in the heart of a forest. The fun begins when the old lady, who is more mad scientist-looking than witchy, breaks out her spell book to try to fix the animals, only to have the cat clucking, the dog quacking, and the mouse crowing like a rooster. Subsequent attempts amp up the ruckus of thunder, lightning, and the tumbledown house spinning around, but the end product is the same--mismatched animal sounds and a kooky "Whoops!" from the old lady. In contrast to the subdued neutral colors of the animals' introduction and the blue-gray woods, the spell casting is done against bright fuchsia, blue, green, and orange pages. Adding to the silliness is the old lady's hair color also changing with each try. There are numerous access points for interacting with an audience. VERDICT Be prepared for an active and boisterous read-aloud with animal noises, movement, and a funny twist at the end.--Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Full of fun and sure to evoke giggles, meows, bowwows, and squeaks.
—Kirkus Reviews

Readers will be tickled by British author Moore's heady cocktail of onomatopoeia and rapid-fire rhythms ("There was a bang! and aclang! and a thundering sound./ Then the tumbledown house turned around and around"). Ayto's (A Very Pirate Christmas) quirky drawings and totemic characters are equally wonderful...
—Publishers Weekly

Be prepared for an active and boisterous read-aloud with animal noises, movement, and a funny twist at the end.
—School Library Journal

Colors pop in the stylized mixedmedia illustrations, which effectively incorporate the story's text. The book's rhythm and repetition, along with its many animal sounds, make it an ideal read-aloud.
—Booklist

By the end, readers will be able to join in with the text and add the animal sounds - making the book a humorous participation selection. The simple illustrations are made with mixed media, but the main focus is on the humorous text.
—School Library Connection

A hilarious rhyming story perfectly complemented with very funny illustrations and a surprise ending, "Whoops!" is certain to nudge children toward the "I Love Books and Reading" camp.
—Books to Borrow...Books to Buy (column from Kendal A. Rautzhan)