Wrong Time Rooster

Make time for this giggle-worthy barnyard tale. A rooster encounters on-the-job stress. Farmer Tony presents Ronnie, the new rooster, to an assembly of cheerful animals. Though Ronnie's friendly and eager to join the farm, his timing is off. He crows during dinner but is silent early the next morning, and the other animals sleep in. "WRONG TIME, ROOSTER!" the others cheer when Ronnie cock-a-doodles at inopportune moments. Farmer Tony has a talk with Ronnie, who confides that he's been fired from every job he's ever had and then blurts out: "Nobody ever taught me how to tell the time!" His revelation will resonate with anyone who's ever felt out of their element. Ronnie's sure he'll be let go, but the supportive cast swings into action, teaching him how to tell time and, more importantly, making him feel part of the team. Though Parkin covers familiar ground, the narrative flows well, and vulnerable, angsty Ronnie will soften hearts. An especially endearing image depicts him nervously holding a cup of coffee, surrounded by ticking clocks, as the light-skinned, white-haired Farmer Tony approaches. Chunky illustrations that rely on pleasant primary colors match warm, playful text. Opportunities for call and response abound with the refrains "Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!" and "WRONG TIME, ROOSTER!" Make time for this giggle-worthy barnyard tale. (Picture book. 4-7) * Kirkus Reviews *
Parkin's delightful story is filled to the brim with vibrant and hilarious illustrations, perfect for sparking young imaginations. -- Andrew J. Ross
A fun and charming way to learn to tell the time! -- Mariajo Ilustrajo, Flooded
When Farmer Tony introduces Ronnie the Rooster to the farmyard, he thinks he has solved the issue of his animals sleeping in late. The only problem is, Ronnie keeps cock-a-doodle-dooing at completely the wrong time, much to the amusement of the other animals, and the frustration of Farmer Tony. Hopeless at telling the time, Ronnie fears he'll be sent away, until Farmer Tony comes up with a plan to help. The animals in this book are illustrated with great character - Ronnie particularly. And children will love joining in with chants of "Wrong time, Rooster!" -- Alice Ellerby * Juno Magazine, Issue 94, February 2025 *
The farm animals band together to help Ronnie the Rooster learn to tell the time and stop waking them up at all hours. Funny, solo début from Parkin, who has previously worked for Ladybird, Magic Cat and The Natural History Museum. -- Charlotte Eyre * The Bookseller Children's Previews February 2025 *
This not only has a fun refrain and charmingly silly pictures, it gently conveys a message of kindness and empathy as Ronnie finally finds a home where people are willing to teach him how to do his job instead of just sending him on to the next place. This is perfect for a farm-themed storytime, for one-on-one interaction to learn to tell time, and for a preschool or elementary audience to learn resilience and empathy. Recommended for most public and school libraries. -- Jennifer Wharton * Flying Off My Bookshelf Blog *
When Ronnie the Rooster arrives at the farm, Farmer Tony warns all the animals that they won't be sleeping in late anymore, now that Ronnie is here to wake them up at dawn. Yet, Ronnie keeps cock-a-doodle-doo-ing at the wrong time - in the afternoon, at night, and any time that isn't dawn! He's the Wrong Time Rooster! When Farmer Tony asks Ronnie what's wrong, Ronnie explains that he can't tell the time, so Farmer Tony makes a clock out of the crate he arrived in and teaches Ronnie. Finally, Ronnie can cock-a-doodle-doo on time - mostly! This lovely, sweet and funny book is both an amusing animal story and a useful guide to telling the time. When Farmer Tony and the rest of the animals teach Ronnie to tell the time, author-illustrator Michael Parkin lays out a nice double page spread featuring labelled clocks that would be a nice starting place to look at learning to tell the time together. Cute, fun and helpful. * BookTrust *