On Ramon’s Farm: Five Tales of Mexico

All of Ramon’s farm animals make a unique sound as he tends to them. Every animal has its own silly story, but Ramon has the last word At the end of each one, he makes up a verse that sums up each lovable animal’s personality. Full color.

The Crazy Man

This novel in verse tells the story of a 11-year-old girl struggling to recover after a farm accident leaves her crippled and fatherless.

After Emaline, 11, is crippled by a farm accident with her father’s tractor, Daddy kills her beloved dog, Prince, and walks away from the farm. Mom takes in Angus from the local mental hospital to help with the farm work, but the neighbors complain about the crazy man on the loose. Emaline never denies Angus’ illness, but she sees his kindness and strength, and they help each other with their work and with their grief.

Nero Corleone

Nero Corleone isn’t your average cat. He’s much worse. On a farm somewhere in Italy, a black cat named Nero reigns supreme. There’s not one animal on the farm that doesn’t do exactly as Nero orders, even the dog. Then one day,Nero visits the house on the nearby hill, where a young German couple is vacationing, and there he has his first taste of the good life. Warm delicious condensed milk and sausage sandwiches! Soon after, Nero and his sister Rosa travel ten hours to their new home in Germany. But nothing really changes for Nero; he simply goes from being farm bully to being neighborhood bully. In this irresistible and warmly-told novel, where humans seem simple, and animals complex, Nero stops at nothing to get what he wants in life. But as time passes, even Nero begins to learn the lessons of life. Elke Heidenreich is a well-known columnist in Germany. Her satirical columns about everyday subjects appear in the biweekly magazine Brigitte. Quint Buchholz Hanser has illustrated many books for children. Both author and illustrator make their homes in Germany.

Till Year’s Good End

Based on a Medieval Book of Hours, this book describes the monthly activities of rural peasants in England during the Middle Ages. Rhyming couplets banner the top of each page while a paragraph for each month elaborates on the daily chores, showing the round of seasons in the farm year.