Bella and I are honored to be part of the blog tour for Thank A Farmer written by Maria Gianferrari and illustrated by Monica Mikai This nonfiction narrative picture book celebrated its book birthday on September 5, 2023. Thanks to author Maria Gianferrari and Norton Young Readers for sharing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
When you sit at the table to eat a meal, do you ever think about where your food comes from? With her peppy, poetic text, Gianferrari celebrates the people behind the food beginning with our breakfast. As in her other books, Gianferrari appeals to our senses using vivid verbs like plop, squirt, and ping. As I read, I could hear these sounds in my head visualizing the process.
I love how Mikai’s artwork embeds the children drinking their milk as if they are watching the actions of the dairy farmers. Virtually all subsequent artwork includes the family enjoying the food or product produced.
The labor involved in growing, picking, and preparing vegetables, fruits, peanuts, rice, and mushrooms for the market is also shared. In Mikai’s detailed full page spread illustrations, young readers see most of the work is done by hand emphasizing the sheer physical effort of farmers and farm workers. Kids also see how machines can make the work easier shaking cherry trees, cutting wheat, and grinding peanuts.
Food is not the only thing on Gianferrari’s menu. She also shares the process of shearing sheep for wool used to make cozy sweaters and socks. While the message of the book is to show appreciation to farmers, Gianferrari seeks to inspire readers to grow their own food too! I also love that she acknowledges farmers can’t do it alone. With alliteration, farmers thank nature for their bounty.
Gianferrari’s picture books aren’t only for kids. As an adult, I always learn factual information building my content knowledge on a variety of topics. Thank a Farmer is a perfect read aloud to teach or reinforce instruction on production, agriculture, and interdependence. Back matter includes further explanations of the farming methods of the products featured in the book as well as additional books, videos, and website.
About the Author:
Maria Gianferrari has two connections to farming: she is descended from a long line of dairy farmers in Emilia-Romagna, Italy whose cows provided milk to make the region’s famous Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; she also grew up in New Hampshire, down the street from Barrett’s Farm and across the street from a maple sugar house where cotton-candy scented clouds filled the air. She now lives with her family in Massachusetts. Her website is http://www.mariagianferrari.com
Enter Beagles & Books’ Giveaway!
- Follow me @lauramossa on Twitter and retweet my Thank a Farmer giveaway tweet.
Beagles & Books 
Thanks so much, Laura & Bella 🙂
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