Through lively folk verse and glorious woodcut illustrations, Barbara Emberley and Ed Emberley describe how an elaborate cannon is put together piece by piece and finally fired off. Corporal Farrell brings the barrel, Sergeant Chowder supplies the powder, and General Border gives the order -- but it's Drummer Hoff who finally fires off the cannon and explodes the story into a blast of brilliant colors. This sturdy board book edition is sure to inspire a smart salute and a march about the room.

Ed Emberley won the 1968 Caldecott Medal for his bold illustrations for Barbara Emberley's jaunty adaptation of the cumulative folk song about seven soldiers who build a magnificent cannon and Drummer Hoff, who fires it off.