"The Farmer" by Mark Ludy

Cool fact about this book. I received my copy at a signing with Mark Ludy, but I refused to let him sign it because I didn't want him writing in my book. Instead, I have a library newsletter that he signed for me (yeah, I was a weird kid. Now I practically collect signed copies). Not so cool fact about this book, I practically cried while reading it.  The message is great. The Farmer is all about perseverance and hard work and while it has an amazing ending, it takes a lot of emotion to get to the end (parents, I suggest a read-though on your own before sharing with kids. I rarely cry over books but this one got me).

The farmer and his animals friends have a great life. The farmer works hard to provide for himself and his animals but they are happy and well cared for. Unfortunately, disaster strikes and the farmer has to make some difficult decisions. Thankfully everything works out in the end.

This book really does have a great message. It's not often that I come across a picture book that teaches such strong values. Not only does it teach persistence but also how to be good to others even if they don't treat you with same kindness. This book can definitely start some discussions for families. While I'm not sure younger readers would care for this book as much (they may not be ready to tackle some of the themes yet) they will enjoy looking for Squeakers the mouse in the pictures. This book certainly wasn't what I expected, but I am really glad that I read it.



Happy Reading!
-Melly