GROW! RAISE! CATCH! HOW WE GET OUR FOOD
by Shelly Rotner
Holiday House (July 30, 2016)
Audience: Ages 4 to 7
Nonfiction * Cooking & Food * Farming * Nutrition
IndieBound | WorldCat
Description from GoodReads:
From author and photo-illustrator Shelley Rotner comes a new and exciting book surrounding the food we eat each day and where it all comes from.
Who grows our juicy fruits and yummy vegetables? Who raises animals for our tasty eggs, milk and meat? Who catches fresh fish for our table? Farmers and fishermen show off their bounty in this lively look at the people who produce the food on which we all rely. In a book filled with bright and enticing photographs and an accessible text, Shelley Rotner s latest book offers a breakdown of the farm-to-table process that is perfect for preschoolers and kindergarten students. A glossary is included."
My thoughts on this book:
I have to admit that I do not have a green thumb. My previous attempts at gardening, particularly vegetables, met with limited success. This is in part due to limited patience and skill. Regardless of my own minimal success, I did develop a new appreciation for those who grow fruits and vegetables. When I walk through our local Farmers Market, I never fail to leave without a sense of awe at the natural beauty found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
When I taught preschool and kindergarten, I realized that my students really did not understand where food came from. Many of my urban students had never been on a farm and if they lived in an apartment building had never even experienced a backyard garden. Milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and meat all came from the local market.
At ALA, I picked up an advanced copy of GROW! RAISE! CATCH! HOW WE GET OUR FOOD by Shelley Rotner. I was attracted to the topic but also by the memories of my students. While back at my hotel room, it was one of the first books that I read. I loved the photographs that would certainly be effective with young students during a read aloud. I loved that it celebrated farmers and fishermen. And I love how it celebrated where food comes from and how important healthy, nutritious food is for our growth. I also love how the book not only focuses on bigger farms but also on the city garden and the family home garden. The end of the book contains an author's note or "Did You Know?" on healthy foods. Additionally, there is a glossary of terms.
GROW! RAISE! CATCH! will be an excellent addition to a classroom library and a unit on gardening and growing food. I wish I had had this when I was a classroom teacher. Pick up a copy of the book at your local indie bookstore at the end of the month or at your community library.
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