Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2002)

The board book edition of the paean to farm animal sounds is as lively and colorful as the original. The art is much reduced, and so loses some of its vigor. The type, on the other hand, is much improved since on the darker pages the type is now white, rather than black, and easier to see than it is in the larger picture book.

Kirkus Reviews (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Each in their niche—hens in the henhouse, mice in the grain bin, and so on—the animals make their traditional exclamations as the barnyard goose careens through, chasing a bright yellow butterfly. <p> Each in their niche--hens in the henhouse, mice in the grain bin, and so on--the animals make their traditional exclamations as the barnyard goose careens through, chasing a bright yellow butterfly. Lush colors, startled, wide-eyed animals, and bold, black print make each page of this latest offering from a new Caldecott honoree (In the Small, Small Pond, 1993) jump with activity. Good for either group or lap reading; up close, you can really appreciate the texture Fleming creates in her specially handmade paper by incorporating such materials as coffee grounds and oats. Youngsters can responding to a repeated question (Where's goose?''), and the familiar animal voices will please them; here, they can also enrich their vocabularies with such descriptives aswallow,'' paddock,'' and, of course,banter.'' (Picture book. 1-4)</p> "

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Finally, Denise Fleming fans will be crowing now that Barnyard Banter is in a board book edition. With """"Cows in the pasture,/ moo, moo, moo"""" and Roosters in the barnyard,/ cock-a-doodle-doo,"""" young children will happily follow Goose, chasing a butterfly around a lush and colorful farm. ( May)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

PreS-Gr 1-Roosters, cows, crows, hens, kittens, etc., noisly go about their barnyard business except for Goose, who silently flits through each scene chasing an elusive butterfly. She finally makes herself heard on the last double-page spread. Strong rhythm and rhyme, plus fun onomatopoeic animal sounds, demand reading aloud. But even more delightful than the engaging text are Fleming's spectacular illustrations, created by pouring cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils. They create realistically textured, bold, bright settings for the whimsical critters to romp through. Intimate perspectives (tucked in the hay loft at kitten's-eye level, wallowing with mud-mucking pigs), reminiscent of In the Tall, Tall Grass (Holt, 1991), make Barnyard Banter one more plus to Fleming's already impressive collection.-Claudia Cooper, Ft. Stockton Independent School District, TX

ALA Booklist (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Like Fleming's other picture books, this is a lot of noisy fun. Here, her handmade paper pictures are brighter and grittier, with coffee grounds and real oats worked into the pulp. As for the story, a pure white goose tours a farm visiting her friends, and each responds appropriately. Large, thick black lettering scattered around the double-page spreads shouts out, Hee haw, haw . . . caw, caw, caw. Readers will watch for Goose in each picture; expect a lot of honking by story's end. As usual, Fleming has created another original, excitingly designed book for the youngest children. (Reviewed May 1, 1994)