Down on the Farm
Emily Froeschner

A collection of children's literature exploring the life and times of the people, buildings, and animals that make up a farm.  So grab your boots--and maybe a pitchfork--and meet us at the silo!

P.S. Click on a book title to link to Amazon.com for more.

      


       

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Cronin, Doreen. Click, clack, moo : cows that type.  New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2000.
            Farmer Brown's cows find an old typewriter, and before you can say, "Click, clack, moo," they're typing a request for electric blankets-the barn gets cold at night. When the elderly farmer refuses, they tack another typewritten message to the barn door: "Sorry. We're closed. No milk today." Soon the hens join the strike and begin withholding eggs. Farmer Brown types up his own response, which is delivered by a neutral party-a duck-and things seem to reach a satisfying resolution. What Farmer Brown isn't counting on is that-"click, clack, quack!"-ducks like typing, too.

     

Giggle, Giggle, Quack

 Cronin, Doreen.   Giggle, giggle, quack .  New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2002.
Remember that audacious duck who made an appearance in Click, Clack, Moo? Well, he's back in this hilarious continuation of the subversive antics of Farmer Brown's animals. The farmer is off on a much-needed vacation, leaving his brother in charge with the admonition, "But keep an eye on Duck. He's trouble." Bob dutifully follows his brother's written instructions: "Tuesday night is pizza night .The hens prefer anchovies," and "Wednesday is bath day for the pigs. Remember, they have very sensitive skin," etc. Art and text cleverly play off one another.

     

The Milk Makers
Gibbons, Gail.  The milk makers.  New York : Aladdin Books ; London : Collier Macmillan, 1987, c1985.
You probably drink milk at almost every meal. But have you ever wondered where it comes from?
Cows eat special feed to make good milk. But after the cow is milked, there are still many steps the milk must go through before it reaches you. This book describes them all. And you'll be surprised to find how many other things you eat and drink come from milk, too. Gail Gibbon's unique style makes this a fascinating book for children and adults alike.

     

Little Red Hen
Barton, Byron.  The little red hen.   [New York] : HarperFestival, 1997, c1993.
A little red hen can't get her friends to help her as she plants wheat, grinds flour, and bakes bread, but everyone wants to help her eat it. Barton illustrates the traditional story with large, simplified shapes in bright colors. Appropriate for reading aloud, with a refrain that invites participation.

     

Twist and Ernest
Barnes, Laura T.  Twist and Ernest.  Stockton, NJ : Barnesyard Books, c1999.

Little Ernest was lonely. He needed a buddy. A friend to spend his days with. When a big, beautiful show horse named Twist arrives at the farm, Ernest is sure the friend he was hoping for is here at last! But Twist doesn't want to be bothered by the scruffy little donkey until Ernest's persistence and enthusiasm win him over. Twist and Ernest is a book that every parent, grandparent, favored aunt and uncle will want to share with the special children in their lives. The memorable characters and engaging story are based on real life animals. Children of all ages will fall in love with Ernest as he searches for a friend with boundless energy and devotion. The book contains a picture of the real life animals, plus children will have fun searching for the little butterfly hidden on every page.

     


  Working Cotton
Williams, Sherley Anne.  Working cotton.  New York : Trumpet Club, 1993, c1992.
 The story of Shelan's day working in the cotton fields with the rest of her family becomes a powerful, poetic tribute to migrant farm workers. Byard's mural-like illustrations contribute weight and emotion to Williams's spare, lyrical text.

     


Dream Snow
Carle, Eric.  Dream snow.   New York : Philomel Books, 2000.
It's almost Christmas and it hasn't snowed yet. As the farmer naps on his small farm, he dreams of being covered in a gentle blanket of new snow. Then, one by one, he dreams of each of his five animals (aptly named One, Two, Three, Four, and Five) being covered as well. When he awakens, he discovers that real snow--not dream snow--has fallen. And "Oh my! Oh my! I almost forgot," the farmer shouts, and, bundling up, hurries out to his tree (named Tree) with a box and a sack, looking remarkably familiar in his white beard and red suit. After decorating Tree, the farmer shouts "Merry Christmas to all!" and pushes a button for a surprise Yuletide jingle.




Spot Goes to the Farm
 Hill, Eric.  Spot goes to the farm.  New York, N.Y. : Puffin Books, 1998, c1987.
Discover all the fun of the farm as Spot visits his dad at work and takes a lively romp in search of baby animals. As he looks, Spot first hears the sound each animal makes, and readers can lift the flap to discover who's underneath. There's even a trickster who pretends to be a songbird, until we find out who he really is! After his long search, Spot finally finds a litter of kittens hiding in the laundry basket.




Sheep in a Jeep
 Shaw, Nancy.  Sheep in a jeep.  Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1986.
 This story, much like the jeep, gathers momentum from page one. When five foolish sheep cram into one jeep, their high spirits and occasional lack of foresight (like forgetting to steer) combine to make a riotous, if ill-fated, road trip. Plummeting over a hill, tumbling into a mud puddle, yelping for help, these muttonheads just can't get their act together, much to the delight of young readers.  Nancy Shaw's Seussian rhymes are guaranteed to tickle every reader's funny bone, while providing a great little learning tool, as well. Who wouldn't want to learn how to read, after hearing lines like this: "Jeep goes splash! Jeep goes thud! Jeep goes deep in gooey mud!" Well-loved illustrator Margot Apple humorously captures the dopey expressions and preposterous predicaments of Shaw's sheep.

     

Charlotte's Web
 White, E. B. (Elwyn Brooks). Charlotte's web.  New York : HarperTrophy, c1980.
An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, E.B. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things.

     

Little House on the Prairie
 Wilder, Laura Ingalls.  Little house on the prairie. Eau Claire, WI : E. M. Hale, 1935.
Meet Laura Ingalls. . . the little girl who would grow up to write the Little House books. Pa Ingalls decides to sell the little log house, and the family sets out for Indian country! They travel from Wisconsin to Kansas and there, finally, Pa builds their little house on the prairie. Sometimes farm life is difficult, even dangerous, but Laura and the family are kept busy and are happy with the promise of their new life on the prairie. Laura and her family journey west by covered wagon, only to find they are in Indian territory and must move on.

     


Farmer Boy
Wilder, Laura Ingalls.  Farmer boy.   Eau Claire, Wis. : E. M. Hale, 1933.
Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Almanzo and his brother and sisters work at their chores from dawn to supper most days-no matter what the weather. There is still time for fun, though, especially with the horses, which Almanzo loves more than anything.  Farmer Boy is the third book in the Laura Years series.  From shearing sheep and milking cows to training young calves, AlmanzoWilder worked very hard on his family's farm in New York. But when hischores were all done, Almanzo could go to his favorite place in the wholeworld -- the Horse-Barn. Although his father wouldn't let him handle thefrisky colts, Almanzo could still look at them and dream of one day having ahorse all his own!

     

     


Pioneer Girl: The Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder
Anderson, William.  Pioneer girl : the story of Laura Ingalls Wilder.    New York : HarperCollins Publishers, 1998.
Anderson distills his 1992 biography, Laura Ingalls Wilder, into picture-book length, choosing details that readers will encounter, either directly or indirectly, when they get to Wilder's own stories: her family's restless relocations from Wisconsin to Kansas, back to Wisconsin, on to Minnesota, then Iowa, the Dakota Territory, and finally Missouri; the plague of grasshoppers and other misfortunes; the daily round of chores; and the events surrounding her marriage and later life. Andreasen provides lovely, serene paintings; by placing dignified human figures into carefully detailed landscapes infused with a soft golden light, he pays tribute to Garth Williams's classic illustrations before finishing with creamy portraits of the silver-haired Wilder at her writing desk and mailbox.

     


Five Pennies: A Prairie Boy's Story
Morck, Irene.  Five Pennies. A Prairie Boy's Story. Fifth House / Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1999.
From trips to the general store to battles with bedbugs and falling cows, FIVE PENNIES brings to life the experiences of a boy growing up in the early West. Filled with details about pioneer life, each story gives insight into the difficulties, challenges, and joys faced by families building a home on a rugged, new land. Young Archie's observations offer a different perspective on that life, one tinged by a child's wonder and sense of adventure. These heartwarming stories about Christmas pageants, starting school, summer jobs, and the exciting potential of owning five pennies were told to author Irene Morck by her father. She has captured the spirit and humour of his memories and brought them together in this entertaining collection.

     

Informational Books

Books for children that talk about real-life days on the farm, and in particular about the animals that reside on it.

     

Farming
 Gibbons, Gail. Farming.  New York : Holiday House, c1988.

This book provides basic information on farms and has colorful illustrations. The book shows what farms look like during the four seasons and describes the necessary chores for each season. It also discusses different types of farms and different farm animals.  A good book for younger children, as it goes through the seasons, the days, and the years.  Colorful illustrations will help to hold children's interest.

     


DK Readers: Day at Greenhill Farm
 Nicholson, Sue.  A day at Greenhill Farm.  New York, N.Y. : DK Pub., 1998.
When the rooster crows, Greenhill Farm springs to life. Join the ducklings, cows, and sheep for a day on the farm. For children who are just beginning to read and who have a limited vocabulary, these 32-page Level 1 books-about everything from tadpoles to puppies-use word repetition and simple sentences to convey meaning. Picture dictionary boxes with word labels "show" the meanings of words. These books contain between 400 and 450 words each, and they are 80 percent pictures and 20 percent text.
   
 


Animals on the Farm
 Morgan, Sally.  Animals on the farm.  New York : Franklin Watts, c1999.
A book all about the different animals on the farm and how they are useful or what they provide for us.  Learn about wool from sheep, milk from cows, and the usefulness of horses and other pack animals.  Photo illustrations show a realistic view of farm life and allow children to identify animals by sight.

     


Amazing Grazing
Peterson, Cris.   Amazing grazing.  Honesdale, Pa. : Boyds Mill Press, c2002.
Gr. 3-5. This book highlights the efforts of three award-winning Montana cattle ranchers who raise their herds with innovative environmental practices. Beginning with an introduction to the overgrazing that contributed to the Dust Bowl, the book goes on to describe how three contemporary ranchers have developed techniques that protect the environment, encourage regrowth, and make inviting habitats for species in addition to cattle. On one ranch, for example, the owners have restored the streams on their land, creating a trout habitat that attracts anglers from miles around. The clearly written text, accompanied by beautifully formatted color photos, covers a topic about which little has been written.

     

Animal Go-Round
Morris, Johnny.   Animal-go-round : turn the wheel and see the animals grow.  London ; New York : Dorling Kindersley ; Boston : Distributed by Houghton Mifflin Co., 1993.
Using very sturdy pages and revolving wheel inserts, Morris presents a pictorial overview of the growth of eight animals -- a frog, butterfly, duck, dog, cat, rabbit, sheep, and rooster. As captions for the clear color photographs, the information is spare, but it should be enough for young children, who will most likely care more for the wheels, which show four stages in each animal's development.


       

     

Farm Animal Portraits
 Moncrieff, Elspeth.  Farm animal portraits / Elspeth Moncrieff with Stephen and Iona Joseph. Woodbridge, Suffolk : Antique Collectors' Club, c1996.
Focusing on British works, this volume chronicles a unique school of painting that bore witness to the intense competition in the late 18th and 19th centuries for breeding the fattest farm animals. In an age when fat was used for many purposes, there was considerable pressure to obtain livestock prizes--the size of some of the animals pictured here is truly incredible--and a commensurate desire of winners to record their achievements.  The scenes are interesting, revealing farm and social life in the country.

   
  

Barn : The Art of a Working Building
Endersby, Elric.  Barn : the art of a working building.  Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1992.
A magnificant book of full-color photographs and text show the history, architecture, and beauty of the barn. BARN is a celebration of an ancient symbol of shelter and harvest, with more than two hundred full-color photographs and an informed text by two expert practitioners of the art and craft of barn restoration.
   
 

Folk Tales

The folk stories that I found really surprised me.  A chinese tale of the rooster, a new take on the Emporer's New Clothes, and the tale of an African-American boy who saves a family from drought.  Truly a fascinating series of literature from the farm!

     


How the Rooster Got His Crown
 Poole, Amy Lowry.  How the rooster got his crown.  New York : Holiday House, 1999.
 Distinctive ink-and-gouache paintings combine with a well-honed text in this satisfying retelling of a Chinese pourquoi tale. During a devastating drought, Emperor Gao calls for a great archer to shoot the six suns out of the sky. By aiming at their watery reflections, Prince Haoyi is able to snare five. But the sixth and smartest sun heads for a cave. Now it is too dark, and only the "lovely song" of the little rooster finally entices the sun to shine once again. The stylized forms of significant people and objects are executed in glowing colors and rich patterns. They stand out against textured rice paper backdrops in hues that evoke the natural world. The thoughtfulness of the book design is also evidenced by the opening trio of mountains shooting flames that foreshadow the three-point red crown that the rooster receives as his reward. In an extensive note that enhances the text, Poole, who studied art in China, explains the significance of the Chinese symbols that appear in the pictures.

     

The Emperor's Old Clothes
Lasky, Kathryn.  The Emperor's Old Clothes. Harcourt: 1999

Sunny caricatures depict an amiable farmer who comes across articles of elegant clothing on the road, tossed from the emperor's carriage. Not only is the naked emperor a laughingstock in this comical version of the familiar tale, but the farmer presents a pretty absurd figure himself when he tries to muck out the stalls and feed the chickens dressed in all that finery.

     


Drylongso
Hamilton, Virginia.  Drylongso. San Diego : Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992.
Liberally sprinkled with the elements of legend, this cautionary tale describes the struggles of a family to survive on their drought-stricken farm during the summer of 1975. A dust storm drives ahead of it a thin boy who helps them replant their crops before leaving as suddenly as he came; he calls himself Drylongso, a colloquial African-American word for drought. A note at the end of the book explains the story's historical roots. Pinkney's haunting landscapes and portraits are executed in a sun-bleached, gray-brown palette.

     

Poetry

Now, if you will pardon me, I'll give some books on poetry Their contents should not much alarm, It's simply more about the farm!

 

     


Cock a Doodle Doo!: Barnyard Hullabaloo
Andreae, Giles. Cock-a-doodle-doo, barnyard hullabaloo.  Waukesha, WI : Little Tiger Press, 2000.
The simple, sing-song verse is about farmyard animals from dawn to night, but preschoolers will enjoy the physicalness of the words ("we babble and cackle and squawk") and the nonsense ("mooing and chewing / Are what I like doing. / Do you moo when you chew your food?"). The big, simple, cartoonish double-page spreads in bright neon colors and simple cutout shapes look like flannel-board art, just right for sharing with the lapsit crowd, one on one or in a group.

     


Wool Gathering: A Sheep Family Reunion
 Wheeler, Lisa. Wool gathering : a sheep family reunion.  New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2001.
K-Gr 3-A sheep family reunion is the clever theme that unifies these 24 humorous poems. The relations include Aunt Eweginia, Old Ramses, and Sweet Lanolin. Witty wordplay and puns are consistently maintained: "Sister Alabaster,/with fleece as white as snow,/is a Kung-Fu master,/-That lamb sure knows her chops!" Children will delight in the offbeat images: "Odd Ephram is the cousin/that no one talks about./He traded in his woolly coat/and now wears sauerkraut." After the characters are introduced, the verses progress to describe a "Baa-dminton" game and a "Rambunctious" picnic. In the final selection, the sheep bid each other a fond "farewool." Ansley's ink-and-watercolor illustrations extend the humor of this lighthearted collection.

     


How Now, Brown Cow?
Schertle, Alice. How now, brown cow? San Diego : Browndeer Press, c1994
Ages 5-9. What an unlikely topic for a poetry book, but what a success. Schertle gives us cows: clever cows, contemplative cows, and even cows concerned with grammar. "Consider cow / which rhymes / with bough / but not with rough / that's clear / enough." There's a poem about the cow that jumped over the moon: "She never tried to jump again, / but gazed for hours at the moon. / They never found the dish and the spoon." And even one about, well, cow plops: "Cows live here / you must / step over meadow muffins / in the / clover / pasture paddies / cowpies / buns / drying, flying in the sun." Complementing the deft rhymes are Schaffer's terrific full-page paintings featuring cows in familiar scenes, such as meandering through the field, and in more esoteric poses, such as riding in the backseat of a cowboy's convertible. The oil paintings are thick and sturdy, yet the application of the paint in broad strokes has the look of finger painting, adding to the child appeal. Beauteously bovine.