Carlos And The Squash Plant / Carlos Y La Planta De Calabaza

Having ignored his mother’s warnings about what will happen if he doesn’t bathe after working on his family’s New Mexican farm, Carlos awakens one morning to find a squash growing out of his ear.

Millie and the Big Rescue

A game of hide and seek on the farm goes awry when Millie gets stuck in her hiding place at the top of a tree. But when the farmer and all the other animals try to help, they get stuck as well.

What the Snakes Wrote

Rufus the farmyard dog first notices the strangely shaped snakes on the ground outside his house. The word they form with their bodies, DOG, looks oddly familiar. As Rufus goes about his patrol, the snakes follow behind. Soon dozens of snakes join in, until the farmer’s field is covered in words. What are the snakes trying to tell Rufus?

The farmer, busy covering up an old well in a far corner of his field, doesn’t realize that his action will destroy the wintertime home of the harmless snakes. But Rufus’s determination helps the snakes find a way to tell the farmer their predicament and save their home.

Tina Holdcroft’s illustrations are an energetic and fun-filled complement to a charming story that subtly presents the benefits of literacy as well as the importance of preserving animal habitats. A brief afterword gives young readers additional information about snakes.

The Pig In The Pond

Pigs don’t swim, or so it’s said. But on one of the hottest days of the summer, the pig on Neligan’s farm sits by the pond feeling envious of the ducks and the geese floating in the cool water. Finally, when she can endure the heat no longer—splash!—this sweltering pig takes a dive, throwing the entire farm into an uproar. It isn’t long, however, before the refreshing idea catches on, and the pig finds that she’s got company! This spirited tale with its exuberant illustrations is sure to be a hit with all those young and old who ever wanted to take the plunge.

Escape From Silver Street Farm

It’s opening day at Silver Street Farm, and Meera, Gemma, and Karl are very excited. Everything is going to plan until the star attractions — the turkeys — go missing along with Bobo and Bitzi, the Silver Street sheep. It takes a lot of detective work (and the enlistment of a pushy ram named Kenny), but the children finally track down the escapees and find the culprits. What they discover are two very surprising turkey rustlers indeed!

Cattle Kids: A Year On The Western Range

Presents a photo essay about boys and girls who live and work on their families’ cattle ranches, taking part in many activities including calving, branding, and rounding up the herd.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 4, Issue 1