We usually love Arthur Geisert’s work. His illustrations usually carry the story and tell a story well beyond those on the printed page….but an ABC that opens with Ammonia fertilizer for “A” and Barn Cats for “B” would have been better off with no words. As always the illustrations, of the book, subtitled, ‘A Journey though America’s Farmland’ are full of the humor and detail this artist brings to his audience. But certainly there could have been a better choice than “disking” to illustrate the letter “d” in farmland…how about Digging…Ducklings…even Dirt? We just have to wonder if “quicksand” is all that common or “Steel roofing” is the best he could do for “S”. This looks like one of those times when everyone forgot the book’s audience. Bring it home to look at and talk over, but forget the text!

Age: Early School Years. Award Year: 2010. Click here to purchase the product on Amazon.com.