View source for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

{{Short description|1989 picture book by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and illustrated by Lois Ehlert}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox book
| name              = Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
| title_orig        = 
| translator        = 
| image             = Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.jpg
| caption           = Cover for the original book.
| author            = [[Bill Martin Jr.]] and [[John Archambault]]
| illustrator       = [[Lois Ehlert]]
| cover_artist      = 
| country           = [[United States]]
| language          = [[English language|English]]
| series            = Chicka Chicka Books
| subject           = 
| genre             = [[Children's literature|Children's picture book]]
| publisher         = [[Simon & Schuster]]
| pub_date          = September 14, 1989
| english_pub_date  = 
| media_type        = 
| pages             = 36
| isbn              = 1-55924-577-8
| oclc              = 19262991
| dewey             = 
| congress          = 
| preceded_by       = 
| followed_by       = [[Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3]]
}}
'''''Chicka Chicka Boom Boom''''' is an American children's picture book written by [[Bill Martin, Jr.|Bill Martin Jr.]] and [[John Archambault]], illustrated by [[Lois Ehlert]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnarchambault.com/books1.html |title=JohnArchambault.com <Books Written with Bill Martin, Jr.> |access-date=2011-02-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309013928/http://www.johnarchambault.com/books1.html |archive-date=2011-03-09 }} John Archambault: Books</ref> and published by [[Simon & Schuster]] in 1989. The book teaches the [[English alphabet|alphabet]] through [[Rhyme|rhyming]] [[Couplet|couplets]], and charted [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]] for children's books in 2000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Best Sellers : December 17, 2000 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/17/books/best-sellers-december-17-2000.html |access-date=14 July 2020 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 17, 2000}}</ref>

==Plot==
An [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] [[Letter case|lowercase alphabet]] climbs up a [[coconut tree]] in order, but their increasing weight makes the tree lean over and they all fall out. Shortly after, their [[Letter case|uppercase]] parental figures rush to aid the lowercase letters and rescue them from the pile. 

While putting the tree back to its upright position and leaving the pile, again in alphabetical order, many of the letters are revealed to have suffered certain injuries from the fall. Later during the night, the letter "a" gets up and climbs back up the coconut tree, proposing a double dare on the rest of the alphabet to catch him.

==Sequels, spin-offs and related media==
An abridged version of the book entitled ''Chicka Chicka ABC'' was published in 1990, which contains the first half of the original story up to the point where the alphabet falls out of the coconut tree.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Martin |first1=Bill |title=Chicka chicka a b c |date=1993 |publisher=Little Simon |isbn=0-671-87893-X |edition=First Little Simon board book |location=New York, New York |access-date=}}</ref> A follow-up book teaching [[Number|numbers]], entitled ''[[Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3]]'', was published on July 2, 2004, with [[Michael Sampson]] as author in addition to Martin Jr. and Ehlert.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Martin |first1=Bill |title=Chicka chicka 1, 2, 3 |date=2004 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=0-689-85881-7 |edition=First |location=New York, New York |access-date=}}</ref> 

Several audiobook versions are available, one of which was narrated by [[Ray Charles]]. Additionally, a CD-ROM game based on the book was released in 1995 by [[Davidson & Associates|Davidson]] and [[Simon & Schuster]] Interactive.

[[Weston Woods Studios]] made an animated musical short film adaptation of the book in 1999, with music composed and performed by [[Crystal Taliefero]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (2002) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX2ypolachQ |language=en |access-date=2022-08-11}}</ref> 

A 2005 episode of the Nick Jr. series ''[[Blue's Room]]'' entitled "Alphabet Power" featured the letters from the book (in puppet form) visiting Blue and her friends. The book ''Chicka Chicka ABC'' is also read towards the end of the episode.

''Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho'', a [[Christmas]]-themed retelling of the story written by [[William Boniface]] and illustrated by Julien Cheng in which the letters are decorations on a [[Christmas tree]], was published on October 1, 2024.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chicka-Chicka-Ho-Ho-Ho/William-Boniface/Chicka-Chicka-Book-A/9781665954761 |title=Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho |date=2024-10-01 |isbn=978-1-6659-5476-1 |language=en}}</ref> Two more books entitled ''Chicka Chicka I Love Mom'' and ''Chicka Chicka I Love Dad'' were published on March 11, 2025.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chicka-Chicka-I-Love-Mom/Bill-Martin/Chicka-Chicka-Book-A/9781665966832 |title=Chicka Chicka I Love Mom |date=2025-03-11 |isbn=978-1-6659-6683-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chicka-Chicka-I-Love-Dad/Bill-Martin/Chicka-Chicka-Book-A/9781665966856 |title=Chicka Chicka I Love Dad |date=2025-03-11 |isbn=978-1-6659-6685-6 |language=en}}</ref> A [[Halloween]]-themed retelling of the story written and illustrated by Julien Cheng called ''Chicka Chicka Tricka Treat'' will be published on July 15, 2025.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Chicka-Chicka-Tricka-Treat/Julien-Chung/Chicka-Chicka-Book-A/9781665954785 |title=Chicka Chicka Tricka Treat |date=2025-07-15 |isbn=978-1-6659-5478-5 |language=en}}</ref>

==Album==
{{Infobox album
| name         = Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Other Coconutty Songs
| type         = Studio album
| artist       = [[John Archambault]] and [[David Plummer (musician)|David Plummer]]
| cover        = Chicka-chicka.jpg
| alt          = Cover showing coconut tree
| released     = 2000
| recorded     = 1991–1992
| venue        = 
| studio       = 
| genre        = [[Children's music]]
| length       = 
| label        = Youngheart Records
| producer     = David Plummer & John Archambault
| prev_title   = 
| prev_year    = 
| next_title   = 
| next_year    = 
}}

In 1992, Archambault released an album composed of several songs based on the storybook entitled ''Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Other Coconutty Songs'', along with musician [[David Plummer (musician)|David Plummer]]. It was named a 1992 "Notable Children's Recording [[American Library Association]] and in 1993, won a [[Parents' Choice Award]].<ref>{{cite news|title=For Halloween, learning about skeletons, and some tips on the art of the pumpkin|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/111949584.html?dids=111949584:111949584&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+14%2C+1994&author=Molly+Dunham+Glassman&pub=The+Sun&desc=For+Halloween%2C+learning+about+skeletons%2C+and+some+tips+on+the+art+of+the+pumpkin&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411161725/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/111949584.html?dids=111949584:111949584&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+14,+1994&author=Molly+Dunham+Glassman&pub=The+Sun&desc=For+Halloween,+learning+about+skeletons,+and+some+tips+on+the+art+of+the+pumpkin&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 11, 2013|access-date=1 March 2013|newspaper=The Sun – Baltimore, Md.|date=Oct 14, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Notable children's recording|url=http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9706230189/notable-childrens-recordings|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104094225/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/9706230189/notable-childrens-recordings|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2013|publisher=Emergency Librarian|access-date=1 March 2013}}</ref> Its main track was the title song ''Chicka Chicka Boom Boom'', which was the book's title.

===Track list===
{{track listing
| headline1       =

| title1          = Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
| writer1         =
| length1         = 2:25

| title2          = ABC Song
| writer2         =
| length2         = 0:54

| title3          = Braggin' Dragon
| writer3         =
| length3         = 2:20

| title4          = Helicopter Man
| writer4         =
| length4         = 2:23

| title5          = Merry-Go-Round
| writer5         =
| length5         = 2:36

| title6          = Didgereedoo
| writer6         =
| length6         = 3:08

| title7          = Counting Sheep
| writer7         =
| length7         = 2:25

| title8          = B-A-Bay
| writer8         =
| length8         = 1:51

| title9          = 5 Little Monkeys
| writer9         =
| length9         = 0:19

| title10         = Here Comes Another One
| writer10        =
| length10        = 3:00

| title11         = Saturday Night At The Fair
| writer11        =
| length11        = 2:01

| title12         = Jump Rope Rhymes
| writer12        =
| length12        = 2:00

| title13         = Chicka Chicka Funk
| writer13        =
| length13        = 3:36
}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:1989 children's books]]
[[Category:American picture books]]
[[Category:Alphabet books]]
[[Category:Children's books adapted into films]]
[[Category:Simon & Schuster books]]