An ABC picture book for modern homesteaders
A is for attic and armfuls of aprons our aunties once made. B is for baking the batter for buttermilk biscuits. Yum!
Children are an essential part of any homestead. From canning creamed corn and cucumbers to scattering seeds in the soil, explore a fun modern-day homesteading activity for every letter of the alphabet, just for young homesteaders. With alliterative text by Carloyn Bennett Fraiser and sweet illustrations by Sally Garland, M Is for Mason Jar is a mix of nostalgia and modernism. Whether in the country or the city, the time-honored practices of the homestead will encourage kids to be more self-reliant and to be thankful for the bounty of the earth and the work of their hands. Includes one page of backmatter to help kids get involved in homesteading activities.
Praise
What do homesteading kids do? Here’s an alphabet of answers!
The family at the center of this ABC book keeps busy with varying tasks, many of which involve getting fresh air: “E is for eggs,” “H is for harvest,” “L is for livestock,” “O is for orchards,” and more. But quite a lot goes on indoors: baking, canning, sewing, and enjoying the Yule log. Some topics may be unfamiliar (not all readers will have visited a root cellar, for instance), but several examples speak to universally resonant moments, like many youngsters’ habit of forgetting items left under the bed. The family members—who vary in skin tone and include three children and three adults—are often accompanied by a small white dog with brown spots, curiously poking its nose into things. Brief, clear, alliterative text adds a bit more information for each letter: “W is for windmills that pump water from wells all winter long.” Alternating vignettes with full-page spreads, the watercolorlike art is realistic, soft-edged, and gently imperfect. A final page offers a list of helpful activities that homesteading kids—or, for most suggestions, any other youngsters—could practice. This engaging book might introduce urban and suburban audiences to a way of life both old and new.
An upbeat tribute to an existence marked by hard work but nevertheless filled with joy.
—Kirkus Reviews
