Click, Clack, Moo


Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type is a 2000 children's book by Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin, the Simon & Schuster book tells the story of Farmer Brown's cows, who find an old typewriter in the barn and proceed to write letters to Farmer Brown, making various demands and then going on strike when they aren't met.
A book and CD edition was also released, with the CD being narrated by Rik Mayall. The CD features three tracks; tracks one and three featuring the story being read with background music and sound effect track, track two being solely the story without added audio.

Plot

Farmer Brown begins to hear typing sounds coming from his barn. He discovers that cows have found an old typewriter in the barn, and are using it to type letters requesting things from Farmer Brown, such as electric blankets to keep them warm at night. Farmer Brown refuses, and the cows go on strike and withhold their milk until they get what they ask for. Soon, the cows type a similar letter about the hens asking for blankets which Farmer Brown refuses to provide. The hens join the cows on strike and refuse to lay eggs.
Farmer Brown realizes this makes it impossible to run a farm. In an attempt to re-establish order, he sends a letter back to the cows and hens on his typewriter and tells them they do not need the things they are asking for and that their job is to produce milk and eggs. The cows hold an emergency meeting, in which they seemingly come to a resolution. They promise the farmer that if he gives them the blankets, they will give him their typewriter. A duck, who was the leader of the strike, agrees to deliver the typewriter once the cows and hens have the blankets.
Farmer Brown decides the deal is fair, so he leaves the electric blankets for the cows and waits for the duck to deliver the typewriter. Instead of delivering the typewriter, the ducks send him a letter which states that their pond is boring and they would like a diving board.

Reception

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type is a 2001 Caldecott Honor book. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." and it is one of the "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal.

Adaptations

There have been two animated Christmas specials based on the book series, Click, Click, Ho! Ho! Ho! and Click, Clack, Moo: Christmas at the Farm.