Crunch and Crack, Oink and Whack!: An Onomatopoeia Story by Brian P. Cleary
Published by Millbrook Press (Tm) on January 1st 2019
ISBN: 146778799X
Pages: 32
Goodreads

A great cover and a strong concept will make readers pick up this picture book. But an overwrought rhyme and overwhelming design may mean they don’t finish it. Cleary writes in stanzas of a, b, c, c, b and forces a lot of the rhymes which cause many a mouthful when attempting to read this out loud. He also packs in a ton of onomatopoetic words, but instead of being fun, it feels like an onslaught. He follows one class in their quest for these sound words and places the school near a farm, so the children even get some animal onomatopoeia, which could make sense to readers, but feels forced. And the end of the book, when the children are celebrating all of their investigative onomatopoetic work, an administrator enters the room and instead of engaging with them, she admonishes them with a “shoosh” just to fit into the rhyme. The bright, busy illustrations by Pablo Pinto are the strongest part of the book and readers who take the time to pour over them will find a lot of detail and diversity and movement.  Better suited for a classroom, which feels like it was the intention of the author as back matter breaks down the examples of the onomatopoetic words used and offers further reading. Not an essential purchase.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth