HELP WANTED: ONE ROOSTER

The Office meets Chicken Run in this workplace comedy, in which an "extremely cool and helpful sheep" reveals how a barnyard solves its productivity problem.Alongside snappy narration from Falatko, crisp-edged, graphical artwork by Stegmaier (AAALLIGATOR!) packs visual information into busy spreads in which a gardener rabbit dozes while the hose runs, and an audio speaker signals the rooster's new interest.

Stegmaier gives this farmyard a clever modern flair.will have grown-ups chuckling.[and] kids will giggle at the expressive animals and whimsical artwork. A cheeky tale worth crowing about.

What's a farm to do when its rooster has let his hobbies get in the way of rousing the farm? Look for a new candidate, of course.Frustration over finding the right candidate almost boils over, until the animals are taught that unconventional methods of completing a task, combined with teamwork, can provide exactly what they're looking for, even if it does come about in an unexpected way. The illustrations of the farm and its inhabitants are colorful and charming (particularly the semiopaque, completely adorable blob), and adults who think they've heard every possible iteration of a farm tale will be pleasantly surprised with this unique look at what it takes to keep a ranch running.

[The narrative] allows for plenty of clever humor, and the revelation that the farm is not just a farm but also a highly successful concert venue recasts the first half with even more whimsy. The sheep has a bit of sass and snark in her narration, and each candidate brings a unique silliness to add to the fun. Greens and teals dominate the pastoral spreads, but it's the background detail, such as the VIR (very important rooster) sign outside a room with a disco ball or the various sleeping poses of snoozing animals, that will have readers revisiting the scenes. The message on teamwork is subtly tucked in, and readers will delight in the animals' creative solution to the farm's employment challenges.