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Help Wanted: One Rooster
The search for the perfect rooster to save a struggling farm from chaos will leave readers howling—and trying out their very best cock-a-doodle-doo!
A farm.
Bucolic beauty, barns, and...sleepy animals everywhere?
This farm needs a rooster, and Cow is determined to find the perfect candidate.
One rooster, who wakes up first thing in the morning, with a resounding cock-a-doodle-do—is that too much to ask?
YES!
This tale of a frenzied farm and the beleaguered cow trying to keep it all together packs more than laughs. As each enthusiastic candidate learns: roostering isn’t what you are, but what you do. And there’s room for everyone.
As long as they wake up early—er, I mean brew strong coffee—or is it press the big button?—oh never mind. All are welcome!
A farm.
Bucolic beauty, barns, and...sleepy animals everywhere?
This farm needs a rooster, and Cow is determined to find the perfect candidate.
One rooster, who wakes up first thing in the morning, with a resounding cock-a-doodle-do—is that too much to ask?
YES!
This tale of a frenzied farm and the beleaguered cow trying to keep it all together packs more than laughs. As each enthusiastic candidate learns: roostering isn’t what you are, but what you do. And there’s room for everyone.
As long as they wake up early—er, I mean brew strong coffee—or is it press the big button?—oh never mind. All are welcome!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2024
About the author
Julie Falatko
15 books143 followersJulie Falatko is the award-winning author of picture books and novels, including Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book), the Two Dogs in a Trench Coat series, The Great Indoors, Yours in Books, and many more.
Originally from New Jersey, Julie now lives in Maine with her family.
Originally from New Jersey, Julie now lives in Maine with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 14, 2024
What’s a busy farm to do when its rooster is more concerned with organizing a ‘rock moosic’ concert than he is with waking everyone up on time? Well, for starters, the cow (who is very organized and kind and even has a clipboard) conducts interviews for a new rooster. And thanks to one ‘extremely cool and helpful sheep’ who narrates wittily for us, we get to watch. Needless to say, the search doesn’t go as smoothly as the cow hopes, which means there’s plenty of opportunities for children (and adults) to giggle as the interviews go off the rails. One candidate (in an ‘inexplicable tuxedo’) wants to ring a bell instead of crowing. One thinks the barnyard will certainly wake up with the smell of coffee. One wants to push a button (that doesn’t exist). And one… well… you’ll just have to meet the Blob for yourself.
Julie Falatko’s text will expand children’s vocabulary with words like ‘professional’, ‘inexplicable’, ‘applicant’, ‘determined’, ‘chaos,’ ‘unpunctual,’ and many more while also keeping us entertained and amused with the sheep’s witty asides to readers, the outlandish candidates, and the cow’s reactions. Andrea Stegmaier’s illustrations perfectly complement (and add to) Julie Falatko’s text in ways that reminded me of Kevin Henkes’ books or one of my classic faves, Officer Buckle and Gloria. The text can be enjoyed without noticing the clever touches in the illustrations, but humorous details like watching the sheep add qualifiers to the ‘Help Wanted’ sign after each unqualified applicant made me enjoy it even more.
Bottom Line: Help Wanted: One Rooster treats children to a fun barnyard story with dry humor and special touches that adults will love too. It’s the kind of book that, as you spend time leafing through it, you’ll find new things to smile about, giggle at, and appreciate. I also appreciated the heartwarming message of recognizing our own strengths and weaknesses and working together with people who can do what we can’t (and vice versa). Because of the advanced vocabulary (which I think is so important for growing little minds), this would probably be best as a read-aloud together – at least the first dozen or so times – rather than leaving an early reader to tackle it on his/her own. The combination of Julie Falatko’s witty and smart text and Andrea Stegmaier’s clever and colorful illustrations is a delightful one and would make a great addition to any home or school library.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
Julie Falatko’s text will expand children’s vocabulary with words like ‘professional’, ‘inexplicable’, ‘applicant’, ‘determined’, ‘chaos,’ ‘unpunctual,’ and many more while also keeping us entertained and amused with the sheep’s witty asides to readers, the outlandish candidates, and the cow’s reactions. Andrea Stegmaier’s illustrations perfectly complement (and add to) Julie Falatko’s text in ways that reminded me of Kevin Henkes’ books or one of my classic faves, Officer Buckle and Gloria. The text can be enjoyed without noticing the clever touches in the illustrations, but humorous details like watching the sheep add qualifiers to the ‘Help Wanted’ sign after each unqualified applicant made me enjoy it even more.
Bottom Line: Help Wanted: One Rooster treats children to a fun barnyard story with dry humor and special touches that adults will love too. It’s the kind of book that, as you spend time leafing through it, you’ll find new things to smile about, giggle at, and appreciate. I also appreciated the heartwarming message of recognizing our own strengths and weaknesses and working together with people who can do what we can’t (and vice versa). Because of the advanced vocabulary (which I think is so important for growing little minds), this would probably be best as a read-aloud together – at least the first dozen or so times – rather than leaving an early reader to tackle it on his/her own. The combination of Julie Falatko’s witty and smart text and Andrea Stegmaier’s clever and colorful illustrations is a delightful one and would make a great addition to any home or school library.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
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August 25, 2024this was very unserious
August 8, 2024
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Sheep and Cow are very invested in their busy, hardworking farm, but latelyl things have not been optimal; their rooster has been sleeping in, so all of the other animals are not waking up on time and getting work done. Cow sets off to find a new rooster, and interviews some interesting candidates. There is a rooster who seems suitable, but who would rather ring a bell than cock-a-doodle-doo. A chicken applies and suggests that she will wake the farm with the smell of fresh brewed coffee. A small bird wants the job, mainly so he can push a button and wake everyone, but there is no button! Finally, an insensible blob applies, but since it can barely be understood, is glossed over. It turns out that the rooster has turned the farm into a successful rock moosic venue, and that's why he hasn't been getting up until 2 p.m. A compromise is finally made; the four applicants will be hired, but it is their job to rouse the rooster, assure his sunrise performance, and then let him get back to sleep!
I love Falatko's Two Dogs in a Trench Coat middle grade series, and have to say that I am not the most enormous fans of picture books. They're often just silly and twee, and when my own children were small, I was often guilty of rearranging the stories to make them more interesting to ME. Falatko does this for discerning adults who want to be able to chuckle at books that they have to read night after night, and I appreciate that. There are plenty of highfalutin' vocab words, too, which is excellent; my daughter was routinely using the word "ostensibly" by the time she was four!
Young readers will find plenty of out and out goofiness in the story, but it's also a good book to introduce conversations about applying for jobs! How could Cow have advertised the job more effectively? What qualifications would you want in a rooster? I loved how the help Wanted sign was updated every day a candidate was deemed unworthy!
The illustrations go well with the text, and have plenty of bright colors and exuberant details in the background. I love Cow's topknot, and in her overalls, she looks a little bit like my paternal grandmother! Stegmaier successfully anthropomorphizes the animals so that I really believed they could be running the farm. The rooster's denim jacket is inspired!
Even as the world gets further away from our agrarian past, books set on farms hold their appeal. While there are plenty of versions of The Little Red Hen or Old McDonald's Farm to fill the need for traditional information about farms, there need to be books for those of us who want a little snarky along with the traditional red barn. Herd Help Wanted: One Rooster into a pen with Donaldson's A Squash and a Squeeze, Cronin and Lewin's Click Clack Moo Cows That Type, Schertle and McElmurry's Little Blue Truck, or Shaw's Sheep in a Jeep series, which was always a massive hit in my house.
Sheep and Cow are very invested in their busy, hardworking farm, but latelyl things have not been optimal; their rooster has been sleeping in, so all of the other animals are not waking up on time and getting work done. Cow sets off to find a new rooster, and interviews some interesting candidates. There is a rooster who seems suitable, but who would rather ring a bell than cock-a-doodle-doo. A chicken applies and suggests that she will wake the farm with the smell of fresh brewed coffee. A small bird wants the job, mainly so he can push a button and wake everyone, but there is no button! Finally, an insensible blob applies, but since it can barely be understood, is glossed over. It turns out that the rooster has turned the farm into a successful rock moosic venue, and that's why he hasn't been getting up until 2 p.m. A compromise is finally made; the four applicants will be hired, but it is their job to rouse the rooster, assure his sunrise performance, and then let him get back to sleep!
I love Falatko's Two Dogs in a Trench Coat middle grade series, and have to say that I am not the most enormous fans of picture books. They're often just silly and twee, and when my own children were small, I was often guilty of rearranging the stories to make them more interesting to ME. Falatko does this for discerning adults who want to be able to chuckle at books that they have to read night after night, and I appreciate that. There are plenty of highfalutin' vocab words, too, which is excellent; my daughter was routinely using the word "ostensibly" by the time she was four!
Young readers will find plenty of out and out goofiness in the story, but it's also a good book to introduce conversations about applying for jobs! How could Cow have advertised the job more effectively? What qualifications would you want in a rooster? I loved how the help Wanted sign was updated every day a candidate was deemed unworthy!
The illustrations go well with the text, and have plenty of bright colors and exuberant details in the background. I love Cow's topknot, and in her overalls, she looks a little bit like my paternal grandmother! Stegmaier successfully anthropomorphizes the animals so that I really believed they could be running the farm. The rooster's denim jacket is inspired!
Even as the world gets further away from our agrarian past, books set on farms hold their appeal. While there are plenty of versions of The Little Red Hen or Old McDonald's Farm to fill the need for traditional information about farms, there need to be books for those of us who want a little snarky along with the traditional red barn. Herd Help Wanted: One Rooster into a pen with Donaldson's A Squash and a Squeeze, Cronin and Lewin's Click Clack Moo Cows That Type, Schertle and McElmurry's Little Blue Truck, or Shaw's Sheep in a Jeep series, which was always a massive hit in my house.
July 28, 2024
The farm is not functioning as the rooster is sleeping late. Cow and Sheep work to solve this by interviewing for a new rooster. They discover how hard it is to replace him. Readers discover why he is too tired to wake at dawn and why the rest of the animals are sleeping late too. Fortunately, the other job applicants take care of waking him up every morning and the farm returns to normal. Humorous illustrations capture the fun in this story.
July 31, 2024
Parts of this story were highly entertaining, but some of the humor will be beyond the preschool crowd. It also felt sort of disjointed, like maybe we the readers should have known sooner *why* or part of why Cow and Sheep are looking for a rooster. Something just felt off. Illustrations are cute, but nothing extraordinary.
June 11, 2024
What happens to a farm when their rooster is too busy with his hobbies to do his job and wake everyone up? Well, they hire a replacement, of course. A fun storytime read. Not at all "Blad".
June 21, 2024
This was very fun and cute. If you can do voices, it's probably even better. Would recommend for older picture book readers- or at least the ones with patience.
June 22, 2024
Need the sequel tbh
July 1, 2024
Love the voice of this. I giggled. A lot.
July 6, 2024
Storytime: Farm Animals
(I'm thinking of putting this one up for Beehive Consideration - depends on what else I decide to do.)
(I'm thinking of putting this one up for Beehive Consideration - depends on what else I decide to do.)
July 14, 2024
The story of this book is hilarious as long as you don't take it too seriously.
July 15, 2024
Absolutely darling.
August 2, 2024
Kinda wordy and a little sophisticated, but fun!
August 14, 2024
I didn't find this to be particularly well written. The concept could have been really funny, but it didn't take off in our house
August 30, 2024
Confusing plotline here, unfortunately, despite the fun dialogue at some points.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews