The Farmer

by Ximo Abadia

Overview

A farmer's hard work is rewarded in this eco-friendly and elegantly illustrated picture book.

A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book of the Year!

In the town, everyone is sleeping. But not Paul.

Paul mows. Paul rakes. Paul sows. Paul draws water. And soon Paul has beautiful plants and flowers growing all around him. But one day, the water dries up. The sun beats down. Paul despairs. But thanks to his animal friends, and a bit of rain, help is on the way . . .

Filled with vivid illustrations of Paul's hard work, the brilliant blooms that begin to grow, and the scorching sun that threatens to ruin his crops, The Farmer is a gentle story emphasizing the importance of perseverance— and the value of good friends.


Named to the USBBY Outstanding International Books List

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823441587
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	03/19/2019
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,143,215
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 10.60(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Ximo Abadia is a Spanish author and illustrator of children's books, graphic novels, and comics.  He was a finalist for the Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrator Competition. Ximo's magazine covers, editorial art, and work in advertising are familiar throughout Europe. His clients include Templar, SM, Edelvives, Sins Entido, Impedimenta, Flamboyant, Free Will, Diabolo, Tribe, Dibbuks, TTT, Takatuka, El Español, Malpensante, Sixth Floor, Panenka Magazine, and The Tide.

Editorial Reviews

"A gorgeous picture book with a message that will resonate with young readers."—School Library Journal

"[Abadia's] naïve compositions convey a winsome bemusement that never mocks . . . . Gentle humor is visual, as when a succession of Pauls peer from a series of mole holes. Compositions, all done on yellow paper, are striking: Mirroring the spread with the enormous sun is an equally mammoth moon that silhouettes Paul's tiny house; in another, Paul stands level with the bottom of the dry well looking up, the bucket resting in futility at the bottom of the aquifer. Charmingly unassuming, rather like Paul himself."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

03/01/2019

PreS-Gr 1—In the village, everyone is resting, except for Paul the farmer. He works relentlessly: mowing, raking, digging, and hauling water. Paul works day after day to tend to his crops and stops only when he is exhausted. And every day, Paul tirelessly watches, waits, inspects, and checks his plants until, finally, green shoots up from the ground and everything on his farm begins to flourish. Suddenly, the well dries up—along with all of his plants. The sun beats down. There is not one drop left for Paul to water his garden. But the farmer is not alone, and his animal friends step in to help. In the end, the rain, and help from friends, is never far away. Abadia is a Spanish author and illustrator who is well known throughout Europe for his work in advertising and editorial art, in addition to his many books. The story was originally published in French, and this English translation combines simple text with stunning spreads to demonstrate the power of hard work and friendship. VERDICT A gorgeous picture book with a message that will resonate with young readers.—Elizabeth Blake, Brooklyn Public Library

School Library Journal

2018-12-16

A hardworking farmer, toiling solo until his well runs dry, is aided by helpful friends and timely rain.

"Paul mows…rakes…digs…[and] draws water" in successive spreads, one per action. After his well fails, the searing sun dominates a double spread, dwarfing Paul's farmhouse and blackened crops. "But Paul is not alone"—a silhouetted cow, donkey, mole, and bird (all seen in earlier spreads) parade forth, bearing water and implements—"and his friend the rain is never truly far away." A page turn reveals Paul's lush, lovely crops—the result of his close observation, intense labor, and a hefty dose of good luck. Abadio's naïve compositions convey a winsome bemusement that never mocks Paul, a white man who is matter-of-factly portrayed with a large, beaky red nose, tall black hat, and ballooning red overalls. Paul is absent or visually minuscule in some spreads—a nod to the central role that the land plays in the lives of farmers. Gentle humor is visual, as when a succession of Pauls peer from a series of mole holes. Compositions, all done on yellow paper, are striking: Mirroring the spread with the enormous sun is an equally mammoth moon that silhouettes Paul's tiny house; in another, Paul stands level with the bottom of the dry well looking up, the bucket resting in futility at the bottom of the aquifer.

Charmingly unassuming, rather like Paul himself. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews