It’s Corn Picking Time!

K-Gr 2–Readers tumble into a day-long journey at the farm that begins at the dawn, following the farmer as she drives the corn combine, and then following the corn as it whooshes into the massive grain dryer. The flap text overtly emphasizes the combine, but the book focuses on farming more than the truck featured on the cover. Text rhymes nicely. The rhythm moves along at a good clip with only a few syllabic hiccups, making this a pleasant read-aloud. Most stanzas begin with the repeated phrase “this is,” which creates a soothing refrain. Color artwork employs a variety of perspectives during the harvesting day. Seeing the combine harvest corn from a bird’s-eye view is especially striking. Accompanying the farmer from dawn to dusk showcases Crowton’s talent with lighting. While not collage, the artwork has the sturdy squareness of Eric Carle’s animals blended with the soft faces of Raymond Briggs’s human characters. Back matter includes more information about the many uses of corn and answers frequently asked farming questions like, “Can a farmer be a woman?” as the farmer is in this book. Verdict A solid choice for any collection and a fun story hour selection to boot.