Amara's Farm

August 15, 2021
Amara needs help finding pumpkins on her farm; can you help her? Amara, a young Black girl in overalls with Afro puffs, has many plants on the farm she runs with her elderly caregivers. Today she must find her pumpkins for her autumn potluck. The text describes pumpkins in detail and then proposes, "Let's help Amara find her pumpkins!" As Amara wanders around her farm looking at various fruits and vegetables, the text asks readers, "Is that a pumpkin?" on the verso, and then answers, "No. That's an apple" (or a persimmon, or a potato), and points out the differences and similarities between it and a pumpkin. This goes on until Amara is close to giving up; at last she spots the pumpkins, and the potluck is saved. A small but diverse group of friends appears for an outdoor meal, and a recipe for molasses pumpkin bread is included at the end. The premise of this story will delight preschoolers who like to show off what they know, answering questions and searching the pages for pumpkins. Some may get a bit impatient as the search runs rather long, but the inclusion of produce less common in some regions of the United States, such as kumquats, figs, and okra, fights boredom. The illustrations are full of delightful details, and the wonderfully busy endpapers are scrumptious. A fun fall pick for interactive storytelling. (Picture book. 2-6)

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September 1, 2021
"Let's help Amara find her pumpkins!" suggests the offstage narrator as our young, brown-skinned, overalls-wearing protagonist searches her farm. Brief, declarative answers to the refrain "Is that a pumpkin?" help listeners discern the similarities and differences between pumpkins and the other produce (including potentially unfamiliar persimmons, okra, kumquats, etc.): "That's a persimmon. A persimmon is orange, but it has a smooth, waxy skin and no ribs." Finally, Amara finds her pumpkins...just in time for an autumn potluck. The repetition in Brown-Wood's engaging, informative text reinforces comprehension, while Hardy's digital illustrations, featuring hand-painted ink and watercolor textures for added depth, provide a festive atmosphere with their vibrant autumnal hues. A recipe for molasses pumpkin bread is appended. Cynthia K. Ritter

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2021
"Let's help Amara find her pumpkins!" suggests the offstage narrator as our young, brown-skinned, overalls-wearing protagonist searches her farm. Brief, declarative answers to the refrain "Is that a pumpkin?" help listeners discern the similarities and differences between pumpkins and the other produce (including potentially unfamiliar persimmons, okra, kumquats, etc.): "That's a persimmon. A persimmon is orange, but it has a smooth, waxy skin and no ribs." Finally, Amara finds her pumpkins...just in time for an autumn potluck. The repetition in Brown-Wood's engaging, informative text reinforces comprehension, while Hardy's digital illustrations, featuring hand-painted ink and watercolor textures for added depth, provide a festive atmosphere with their vibrant autumnal hues. A recipe for molasses pumpkin bread is appended.

(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)