6 Picture Books That Offer a Take on the Song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”

Old MacDonald Had a Truck, by Steve Goetz and Eda Kaban
And on that farm he had an…excavator?! In this twist on the classic story, Old MacDonald not only has his animals, but he also has a bunch of really cool machines to dig, dig here and scoop, scoop there, all over the place. But what is all this equipment being used for on the farm? You’ll have to wait until the end to find out! This is a fun read for kids who could watch a construction site for hours.

Pete the Cat: Old MacDonald Had a Farm, by James Dean
If Pete the Cat had a farm, it would be a super-groovy place. His picture book version of the traditional song includes 17 different animals making their barnyard sounds as Pete strums along to the classic tune on his guitar. And while the song isn’t a Pete the Cat original, the illustrations certainly are, and Pete’s fans will love following him along on this colorful adventure.

Old MacDonald’s Things That Go, by Jane Clarke and Migy Blanco
Jane Clarke and Migy Blanco’s take on Old MacDonald just made its U.S. debut this month, but it’s sure to become a fast favorite for kiddos that love animals and things that go. This farmer has a huge collection of vehicles—bicycles, tractors, buses, boats, fire engines, airplanes, and more. And just like Old MacDonald’s animals, these things that go have a lot to say! Follow along with him in this reimagining of the classic tale.

Old MacDonald Had a Woodshop, by Lisa Shulman and Ashley Wolff
In this lively version of the story, Old MacDonald is a Ms. rather than a Mr. and a sheep rather than a human. And she has a pretty important project underway in her workshop. There’s plenty of tap-tap here and tap-tap there and scritch-scratch here and scritch-scratch there to be done by each of her animal friends that swings by to help out. This is a perfect read for budding DIY-ers who love to build things.

Old MacDonald Had a Dragon, by Ken Baker and Christopher Santoro
Pigs, cows, sheep—sure thing! But a dragon? On a farm? There is on this one! But all the other animals on Old MacDonald’s farm have a big problem with it—with good reason. This dragon is swallowing the animals whole in this lively version of the tale. Can Old MacDonald put a stop to the fire-breather’s destruction before his whole farm goes up in smoke? Find out in this silly spin on the classic song.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm, by Golden Books and Anne Kennedy
Unique twists on classic stories are always fun, but sometimes a traditional take can be comforting and familiar. Such is the case with this Little Golden Book version of Old MacDonald, which sticks to the original script but includes some bright, lively, colorful illustrations full of humor and action to keep even the littlest animal enthusiasts engaged.