ZIP ZAP WICKETY WACK

In New Yorker cartoonist Diffee’s children’s book debut, animals unite after a barnyard spat draws an unusual mediator.

“The cow says ‘Moo.’ The horse says ‘Neigh.’” But what begins like a primer takes a quick turn when “the sheep says, ‘Baa’” and the goat also claims the sound as its own. No matter that the sheep said it first—“I’ve said baa since I was a kid,” retorts the indignant goat. The dog offers a diplomatic solution that just generates more drama as the barnyard animals become understandably possessive about their signature sounds. The sheep decides to “think of something that no one has ever said” and, after much pondering (and a little pooping), proudly lands on an extended version of the wacky titular catchphrase. “No one says that, right?” Wrong. A pint-size pink alien whizzes in to claim the phrase and suggests a civil compromise—though, as it turns out, the extraterrestrial can’t quite practice what he preaches. Wax and pleasingly shaded colored pencil art on tawny pages features deftly expressive animals in otherwise spare, earnestly pastoral scenes that contrast with the wryly funny plot. The characters’ nonchalant rapport is well conveyed, with text rendered in a clean serif font of varying scale for added visual oomph. Clever humor and a fresh take on a seemingly familiar scene make this a widely appealing, expertly paced, and wonderfully silly read-aloud.

Unexpected and delightfully absurd.