Farming Is Female: Twenty Women Shaking Up the Field (A Community, Food, and Climate Book for Kids)

Gr 6 Up–Step into the shoes of agricultural workers across the United States as these intrepid women show readers where and how food comes from their farms to our tables. Twenty farmers across various backgrounds and locales present aspects of the multifaceted work known as farming, from creation to distribution. The highs and lows that come with working in agriculture are on brilliant display in this book that is a hybrid of narrative and interview. By connecting concepts like sustainable practices and monoculture to real people, there is a complex tapestry woven of not only farmwork but also farming culture and its changes today. While Indigenous folks are mentioned frequently, there is little on-page representation. The text is dense in some places, but that is not always negative because there is much to say on this topic. Readers will encounter moments to pause and connect through interactive elements like journaling, hands-on growing, and cooking recipes from the featured farmers. In a time when voices like these are being silenced, this informational text shines a spotlight on workers doing impactful things in a way that updates and reframes what it means to be a farmworker. Illustrations depict children younger than the text audience.