Froodle by Antoinette Portis

On Old MacDonald's farm, every animal has only one thing to say. "Quack quack" or "Moo moo" or "Cluck cluck." Anyone who has been around animals, however, knows it is not so simple. Animal, especially birds, are a bit more expressive. Each has a range of grunts, calls, chirps, etc.

In Froodle by children's author/illustrator Antoinette Portis, everyday birds say their everyday things at first, day after day, through the seasons, until Little Brown Bird suddenly says "Froodle sproodle!" Cardinal, Crow, and Dove are shocked. They insist Little Brown Bird return to simply saying "Peep." LBB, as many birders know sparrows, wrens, and other hard to identify little birds, complies at first but then exclaims "Tiffle biffle, just a miffle! A revolution is declared.

I can imagine reading Froodle to children will be much fun for people of all ages. Silliness shall reign. Take that Conformity!

Rumba numba wonka skirby dirby!

Portis, Antoinette. Froodle. Roaring Book Press*, 2014. ISBN 9781596439221.

*How appropriate!