The Little Farm

While on vacation, I purchased "Cowboy Small" by Lois Lenski. My 3-year old son couldn't get enough of it! I had to read it 10 times a night!! He quickly memorized the book, and when I looked for other titles by the same author, my son saw the picture of "The Little Farm" book on the computer screen and said, "It's Cowboy Small Farmer!!!" Needless to say... we had to purchase the book, despite it's hefty $50 price tag! But he loves it... so I guess it's worth it!!

My two year old loves Lenski's books (So do I). They are simple and clear in their concepts and illustrations. It seems somewhat of a "beginner" reading book in its literacy level, but it still is just enough to hold my interest while reading it aloud to my two kids.Lenski's books are more about providing factual information than giving character lessons or having an underlying meaning.(Our favorite Lenski book so far that we've purchased is _Cowboy Small_. I give that one 5 stars!)

The sweetly illustrated, simply written story of Farmer Small's very busy day and the four seasons on his farm. My three year old finds the details of Farmer Small's life enormously interesting: the way he leaves the mail box open while he reads his mail, the apple that drops off the cart he is using to haul his apple harvest, the size of the tractor's wheels (you get many glimpses of this tractor, a big plus for the farm vehicle fan), the milk can he leaves for the dairy truck to pick up, the contents of his roadside stand. The text that accompanies these evocative illustrations is rhythmic and reassuring, and so this is an often-read bedtime and naptime book. One final terrific thing about the book: the hardcover edition is nicely produced, with good paper and clear bright pictures. When my son sits on my lap to hear the story, he always runs his fingers over the book's cover before I open it: maybe out of reverence for Farmer Small, who goes through farm life with apple-cheeked tranquility or maybe just because the cool, smooth cover is nice to touch. Either way, this would be a sweet gift for a two or three year old. And that's all ... about Farmer Small.