Oh my god! I love this topic and find my children are fascinated by farms. But, we need a moment to acknowledge that photo. It is the greatest! And the book in your hands is the cherry on top.
So many farm titles!!! I love this! Our cousins in Minnesota always visit a working farm and get to help with the chores. I hope to visit it someday too. Closest we get out here is a goat ranch of our friends, which in no way helps us understand where our food comes from.
Also, that legacy photo of you and your mom is pure gold. I LOVE that y’all are holding a book, runs in the fam. What ever happened to a good studio portrait? We have so many from my childhood tucked away in some long forgotten box.
I grew up on a farm in Minnesota. What a fabulous list! One that I would add is “Go to Sleep, Little Farm” by Mary Lyn Ray. It’s such a beautiful bedtime story and was my daughter’s favorite for years.
Oh wow I love this; I grew up on a farm, my family and extended family have a variety of animals and crops. We were always on the lookout for fun books in that area. Some hits from our bookshelf we used for our kids when they were younger:
- The Farmer’s Away! BAA! NEIGH! by Anne Vittur Kennedy
- The Old Truck by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey
- Summer Color! by Diana Murray (not so much a farm book, but reminds me of running around the farm and countryside with my cousins)
- Dinosaur Farm by Fran Preston-Gannon
- Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
- Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root
And my favorite of them all, Duck on a Tractor by David Shannon. I love the artwork and it’s a blast to read aloud!
I was just working on a list of farm books for a friend who hosts a read-aloud at the farm she works at! Maple Hill Farm books are top of the list, of course. I like The Sun is Late and So is the Farmer by Philip C. Stead; On the Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Kara; and Once Upon a Farm by Marie Bradby. Not sure if Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall and And the Good Brown Earth by Kathy Henderson count as strictly farm/farming books, but I think they’re close enough, and I love them!
Oh my goodness, BARN DANCE is a nostalgic family fave. My mom made up a tune for it, and now I have to sing it to my children, too.
I’m so happy for this list bc my son is very interested in farms after reading THE WILD ROBOT ESCAPES. We’ve just driven through the entire state of Wisconsin and through most of Minnesota, and he’s been fascinated by the farms on our route. Going to have to make sure we have some of these books waiting for us at the library when we get home!
Also, the importance of understanding where food comes from 💯💯💯💯💯
Fun list! I got a copy of Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book about Food and Farming by Lisl H. Detlefsen after you interviewed her a couple months ago. And it is a most excellent book. As someone who makes their living in production ag (Cow/Calf, Dry land white wheat). I sometimes get frustrated with the number of "We grow vegetables and sell them at the farmers market books." Not that that is not important - but it only shows part of ag. I really liked that her book showed modern equipment, and larger scale farm operations.
A few more farm themed books -
Chickens to the Rescue - John Himmelman - Cows to the Rescue is great too! these are sooo funny. I check them out about once a year to reread.
Tractor Mac series by Billy Steers - One of those books that shows stuff from the 1970s, but has tractors which my toddlers have loved.
Otis the Tractor series by Loren Long - Another series that has stuff from the 1970s my kids loved tractors though...
John Deere that's who by Tracy Maurer - For more like 6-10 history of steel plow blade.
On the subject of knowing where your food comes from... Many years ago we had some young (maybe 6y) kids visit. I took them in my garden and pulled out a carrot each and they were enchanted! It was like a magic trick. Pull these leaves and Ta-Da a carrot appears! They were at our house for several days and would periodically disappear to the garden to pull carrots and eat raspberries. One of them pulled a beet by accident - we had to discuss how different leaves had different roots growing underneath them.
We had another visitor who's family kept back yard chickens. I fed them Hamburgers for dinner - his mom was impressed and said "Kid do you know that this hamburger came from their cows?" the child replied "Like eggs?" I loved it.
We like "Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares For Winter" by Eugenie Doyle and Becca Stadtlander. I want to say that I got the recommendation from you, but I could have also stumbled across it on Amazon.
Hi, your Substack is fantastic and it's helped me to discover so many books I'd never have come across otherwise, so thank you! I'm just wondering if you could elaborate on whether any of these books are good for clarifying the fact that farm animals get turned into food. I'm an open-minded and non-judgmental vegetarian and I'm trying to raise my kids with an age-appropriate (my oldest is 5) understanding of where meat comes from. I'd love to have a book that acknowledges the facts in a clear and non-scary way, and I think this would be great prompt for our continued conversations about why different family members choose to eat different diets, but all I've found are books that either gloss over it entirely or are pro-vegetarian and too proselytizing. If you know that any of the books within this post, or any beyond it, make clear that the animals don't live on the farm forever and they eventually get turned into food, I'd love to hear about them!
I don’t know of a book like that. None in this list meet that criteria. There’s definitely a need but I can also see publishers shying away from that specifics of that topic as it pertains to meat… even if it was handled incredibly well, it would probably make them a target for negative marketing in some ways.
Oh my god! I love this topic and find my children are fascinated by farms. But, we need a moment to acknowledge that photo. It is the greatest! And the book in your hands is the cherry on top.
She has always been the fanciest, most put-together woman I've ever met. Also the only one who can pull off a silk scarf with a sweatshirt 😂
So many farm titles!!! I love this! Our cousins in Minnesota always visit a working farm and get to help with the chores. I hope to visit it someday too. Closest we get out here is a goat ranch of our friends, which in no way helps us understand where our food comes from.
Also, that legacy photo of you and your mom is pure gold. I LOVE that y’all are holding a book, runs in the fam. What ever happened to a good studio portrait? We have so many from my childhood tucked away in some long forgotten box.
I grew up on a farm in Minnesota. What a fabulous list! One that I would add is “Go to Sleep, Little Farm” by Mary Lyn Ray. It’s such a beautiful bedtime story and was my daughter’s favorite for years.
The picture of you and Mom 🥹☺️❤️
Great topic and great throwback picture!
Barnyard Dance was my kid’s favorite back when they were little 🥰
Can't wait to read some of these books. Great photos!
Oh wow I love this; I grew up on a farm, my family and extended family have a variety of animals and crops. We were always on the lookout for fun books in that area. Some hits from our bookshelf we used for our kids when they were younger:
- The Farmer’s Away! BAA! NEIGH! by Anne Vittur Kennedy
- The Old Truck by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey
- Summer Color! by Diana Murray (not so much a farm book, but reminds me of running around the farm and countryside with my cousins)
- Dinosaur Farm by Fran Preston-Gannon
- Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
- Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root
And my favorite of them all, Duck on a Tractor by David Shannon. I love the artwork and it’s a blast to read aloud!
Love all these recommendations, Pete — thank you!
That photo is 👌🏼
I was just working on a list of farm books for a friend who hosts a read-aloud at the farm she works at! Maple Hill Farm books are top of the list, of course. I like The Sun is Late and So is the Farmer by Philip C. Stead; On the Farm, At the Market by G. Brian Kara; and Once Upon a Farm by Marie Bradby. Not sure if Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall and And the Good Brown Earth by Kathy Henderson count as strictly farm/farming books, but I think they’re close enough, and I love them!
I love And the Good Brown Earth! I think it counts. And all the others you listed — so good.
Oo I also love Yonder by Tony Johnston. Beautiful poem and paintings. Check it out if you don’t already know it.
Oh yes, I know Yonder. So poignant and beautiful.
Oh my goodness, BARN DANCE is a nostalgic family fave. My mom made up a tune for it, and now I have to sing it to my children, too.
I’m so happy for this list bc my son is very interested in farms after reading THE WILD ROBOT ESCAPES. We’ve just driven through the entire state of Wisconsin and through most of Minnesota, and he’s been fascinated by the farms on our route. Going to have to make sure we have some of these books waiting for us at the library when we get home!
Also, the importance of understanding where food comes from 💯💯💯💯💯
I hope Wisconsin treated you well!
It always does!!
Fun list! I got a copy of Right This Very Minute: A Table-to-Farm Book about Food and Farming by Lisl H. Detlefsen after you interviewed her a couple months ago. And it is a most excellent book. As someone who makes their living in production ag (Cow/Calf, Dry land white wheat). I sometimes get frustrated with the number of "We grow vegetables and sell them at the farmers market books." Not that that is not important - but it only shows part of ag. I really liked that her book showed modern equipment, and larger scale farm operations.
A few more farm themed books -
Chickens to the Rescue - John Himmelman - Cows to the Rescue is great too! these are sooo funny. I check them out about once a year to reread.
Tractor Mac series by Billy Steers - One of those books that shows stuff from the 1970s, but has tractors which my toddlers have loved.
Otis the Tractor series by Loren Long - Another series that has stuff from the 1970s my kids loved tractors though...
John Deere that's who by Tracy Maurer - For more like 6-10 history of steel plow blade.
On the subject of knowing where your food comes from... Many years ago we had some young (maybe 6y) kids visit. I took them in my garden and pulled out a carrot each and they were enchanted! It was like a magic trick. Pull these leaves and Ta-Da a carrot appears! They were at our house for several days and would periodically disappear to the garden to pull carrots and eat raspberries. One of them pulled a beet by accident - we had to discuss how different leaves had different roots growing underneath them.
We had another visitor who's family kept back yard chickens. I fed them Hamburgers for dinner - his mom was impressed and said "Kid do you know that this hamburger came from their cows?" the child replied "Like eggs?" I loved it.
Needless to say I remember well the photo of you and Mom. One of the best ever. You both look so beautiful. Love from your Dad. XO
🩷💓🩷💓
We like "Sleep Tight Farm: A Farm Prepares For Winter" by Eugenie Doyle and Becca Stadtlander. I want to say that I got the recommendation from you, but I could have also stumbled across it on Amazon.
I know the book but I don’t think that rec came from me… at least, I’ve never reviewed it.
Hi, your Substack is fantastic and it's helped me to discover so many books I'd never have come across otherwise, so thank you! I'm just wondering if you could elaborate on whether any of these books are good for clarifying the fact that farm animals get turned into food. I'm an open-minded and non-judgmental vegetarian and I'm trying to raise my kids with an age-appropriate (my oldest is 5) understanding of where meat comes from. I'd love to have a book that acknowledges the facts in a clear and non-scary way, and I think this would be great prompt for our continued conversations about why different family members choose to eat different diets, but all I've found are books that either gloss over it entirely or are pro-vegetarian and too proselytizing. If you know that any of the books within this post, or any beyond it, make clear that the animals don't live on the farm forever and they eventually get turned into food, I'd love to hear about them!
I don’t know of a book like that. None in this list meet that criteria. There’s definitely a need but I can also see publishers shying away from that specifics of that topic as it pertains to meat… even if it was handled incredibly well, it would probably make them a target for negative marketing in some ways.