School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3The creators of Cactus Hotel (1991) and Spoonbill Swamp (1992, both Holt) offer an in-depth look at a little understood agricultural cycle: wheat farming. Through Farmer Albert, children see the growing season of winter wheat from the preparation of the land in late summer, to the autumn planting, through the winter-spring growth, to the subsequent summer harvest. Humor is provided by Tulip, the cow, and Stitch, the dog. And while these touches and Albert's conversations are obviously fictitious, modern wheat farming is faithfully represented, both by Guiberson's smooth text and Lloyd's lush, realistic watercolors. All farm equipment is accurately portrayed and explained, from the harrow to the massive combine. Lloyd's rich green and gold fields undulate across double-page spreads, as inviting to readers as to the animals that feed there. After Albert's cyclical story, Guiberson adds a final note, explaining the differences between winter and spring wheat, zero-tillage techniques, and the role farmers can play in providing cover and food for wildlife while still raising their crops. Useful for beginning independent research and story time alike.Claudia Cooper, Ft. Stockton Independent School District, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
