My Farm Friends

by Wendell Minor, Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Overview

Here’s a perfect introduction to our farm friends. Is there anything cuter than a little lamb or playful piglet? Farm animals are fascinating, and they are full of surprises, too. Naturally, cows make milk—but did you know they need to drink a bathtub-full of water every day? And of course the turkeys gobble—but sometimes they purr like cats. Wendell Minor’s bright, bold artwork and jaunty verse celebrate the wonders of our farm friends.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399257995
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/03/2013
Pages:	28
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 5.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Wendell Minor (www.minorart.com) has traveled all over the U.S. to research his art for numerous novel jackets and picture books, which include The Buffalo Are Back and The Wolves are Back (both by Jean Craighead George), Look to the Stars (by Buzz Aldrin) and If You Were a Penguin (by Florence Minor). His paintings are in the permanent collections of the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Museum of American Illustration, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Coast Guard, and NASA. He lives in Washington, Connecticut.

Editorial Reviews

Inspired by childhood visits to family farms, Minor shares descriptions and facts about different farm animals and their behaviors. The interactive verse playfully engages readers, asking, "When it's early in the morning / Will you cock-a-doodle too?" or, "...suppose you tried to take a bath / And a cow got in your way?" Some of the rhymes and the rhythm are frankly awkward: "Turkeys can be very friendly / Sometimes sitting in your lap / They even purr when they're content / Just like a kitty cat!" Nevertheless, this book begs to be read aloud, individually or with a group. Multiple readings may be in order, as young listeners will want to visit this iconic farm over and over. Rich watercolor-gouache paintings fill each page and evoke a timeless feeling, at once recalling the past but perfectly at home in the present. Every scene is depicted realistically with a just a touch of anthropomorphism for child-friendly appeal. Whimsical facts at the back extend the information offered, and a list of Internet sources includes several farm and farm-sanctuary websites. (Informational picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews