"Zemke provides more farmyard huggermugger (George Shannon’s Wise Acres,2004) to illustrate Degman’s versified tale of animals trying to substitute at sunrise for an absent rooster. Deciding that he needs a week at the beach to catch up on his sleep, Rooster enlists fellow livestock to crow each morning to wake Farmer McPeeper while he’s gone. But despite the best efforts of Sheep (“Her cock-a-doodle baaaaaaaa / didn’t travel too faaa. / In fact, she made barely a peep”), Cow (“udder disaster!”) and the rest, McPeeper sleeps on. Looking properly popeyed and panicky in the cartoon scenes, the other animals welcome Rooster back at last—only to learn that he’s caught a cold and can barely wheeze. As in her prizewinning light verse for 1 Zany Zoo (illustrated by Colin Jack, 2010), the author displays a gift for rhymes and language that is clever rather than forced. She also skips the obvious (trite) solution of a general hullabaloo and just has Rooster leave a whispered “cock-a-doodle-doo” on McPeeper’s bedside phone—a technology assist that displays pleasing ingenuity. Farmer McPeeper wakes up, feeling like he’s slept for a week…which he has. Puns and foolery pitched just right for newly independent readers."
-- Kirkus Reviews
In this humorous early reader-style story, farm animals try in vain to rouse Farmer McPeeper from sleep after Rooster takes off for a week at the beach. . . Degman's rhymes have the structure and bounce of limericks, and are sprinkled with barnyard puns and hybrid animal rooster crows that readers will be itching to try out themselves. Zemke's cartoons nail the wide-eyed, dumbfounded look of the animals as they scramble to fill the rooster's shoes. A final twist ends this peppy and fun story on a high note.
-- Publishers Weekly
Cock-a-Doodle Oops! had me laughing starting with page one. Those reading will enjoy all the opportunities to sound like a cow, or a mule, or a sheep. Storybook hour will explode with laughter. Just getting through the week of substitute morning calls will delight the children. There is an unexpected twist, or rather, a double-twist! I know young children will love Cock-a-Doodle Oops! The fresh story has a cartoon flare and the illustrator makes sure the delightful story stands out from the crowd. Find a home on a shelf for Cock-a-Doodle Oops! It's a keeper. -- Kid Lit Reviews
"Cock-A-Doodle-Oops!" is a rollicking, rhyming farm fun illustrated story about a farm family rooster in need of a vacation from his crowing duties. These bright, versed story pages are filled with funny energy and images appealing to an elementary age audience. The rooster definitely needs a vacation, but the problem is, who will crow for him while he is gone? And how will they wake up the soundly sleeping Farmer McPeeper when the rooster's voice is gone? Kids will love this addictive, entertaining funny story, perfectly embellished with comic colored illustrations of every farm animal and Farmer McPeeper too. -- Midwest Book Review
