Old MacDonald Had a Boat

Old Mac and Mrs. Mac—the spry, gray-haired farmers who starred in Old MacDonald Had a Truck—are back for more tinkering around the farm. In warm, comedic spreads, Kaban depicts the industrious pair as they revamp an old fishing boat and construct a boat ramp. Using the titular song, Goetz introduces tools that the Macs use to get the vessel into tip-top shape: “And on that farm he had a... torch! E-I-E-I-Blow! With a blow blow here/ and a blow blow there,/ here a blow, there a blow,/ everywhere a blow blow.” Farmhands include a cast of piglets, sheep, a rooster, and a fox, dressed in breezy summer clothes, who help the couple hammer, sand, and paint. At dusk, the boat, christened “Fantastic,” is set to go. Final spreads show the Macs and farm friends on water skis and relaxing on their waterfront porch. The lively visual humor and unexpected additions to the classic song ensure read-aloud appeal. Ages 3–5. (Mar.)