How awesome is it that it’s Friday?! 😊
Before I share my perfect picture book for today, I’d like to take this opportunity to announce that this will be the last official Perfect Picture Book Friday until September. As you all know, I put PPBF on hiatus for the summer. Between my own unpredictable schedule and the fact that many of you spend less time online in the summer, it just seems to make sense to take a break. But for those of you who are dedicated (and there is a core group of you – you are wonderful!) I look forward to seeing what you’ll share. You are welcome to add your summer books to today’s link list or to the first one I put up in September.
Would You Read It Wednesday will continue through June and July (I usually take a complete blogging break in August because really… how much of me do you all really want to have to pay attention to?! 😊 … but this year we have a couple of Tuesday Debuts on July 30 and August 6), and you never know what other high jinx I might get up to if I get a hair brained scheme out of the blue…
Anyway, onto today’s choice!  Maybe my favorite summer book 😊
Mowing
Written By: Â Jessie Haas
Illustrated By: Â Jos. A. Smith
Greenwillow Books, 1994, Fiction
Suitable For: ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: farms, grandparents, generations, modernization, respect for wildlife, vehicles
Opening: Â “Early in the morning Gramp and Nora go to the field to mow. Â They hear the cry of the bobolink, the swish of the tall grass, the thud of the horses’ hooves.
At the edge of the field Gramp lowers the cutter bar.
“Hop off, Nora,” he says. Â “You’ll be safer on the ground.” Â Gramp speaks softly to the horses. Â “Giddap!” Â They walk, and the mowing machine begins to clatter.”
Brief Synopsis: Â Just as morning is peeking over the horizon, Gramp and Nora head out to mow the hay. Â Gramp drives an old-fashioned sickle bar mower with Nora in his lap holding the reins. Â When they reach the field, it’s Nora’s job to hop down and keep an eye out for any little animal that might be injured by the horses or the cutter blades. Â What does she see? Â (I’m betting you can guess one thing she sees! :)) Â When the mowing is done, two tall islands of grass still stand. Â Gramp says some would call that a bad job of mowing, but he and Nora know better. Â They know they have taken care to leave the animals safe and protected.
Links To Resources: Fawn Coloring Page 1, Fawn Coloring Page 2, Fawn Facts, National Geographic Groundhog Facts, National Geographic Killdeer Facts. Â Talk about the difference in the way hay is mowed today. Â Talk about other situations where you might want to be respectful of wildlife.
Why I Like This Book: Â This is the kind of sweet, quiet book that I absolutely love. Â My kids loved it too, and we read it over and over and over. Â The language is gentle, the story is simple with that nostalgic feel of hearkening back to a different time, and the message of caring for all the creatures who share our world is lovely. Â On top of that, the art is just beautiful, particularly the way the artist captured the changing light, from dawn through late afternoon, and the different perspectives he uses. Â It’s a wonderful book for nap time, bedtime, or anytime kids need to unwind.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Susanna, I love this book. Those spreads are amazing. Jessie captures the vulnerability and preciousness of nature. I’ll have to see if I can get it. Thanks!
It’s an old one, Maria, but I absolutely love it. It has such a peacefulness to it – like summer day in a hay field in calmer, less hectic times! 🙂
What I love best about mowing is the smell of the hay! Both this book and Christy Mihaly’s (Hey, Hey, Hay) capture the essence of grass farming.
This looks like a perfect summer read – and I like the idea of pairing it with Hey, Hey, Hay!
Oh, wow! Look at those amazing illustrations! What a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing, Susanna!
Such a nostalgic read and time period. Reminds me of the Amish. The illustrations are stunning. And, I love the care the family takes for the animals who need a safe place.
Those illustrations!!!! They are so beautiful…I could get lost in them, Susanna! Thank you for featuring this book…you always find stories I haven’t read yet!
Have a wonderful summer…I don’t have too many PPBF posts scheduled for the next two months…but some family traveling and hopefully new story writing will keep me busy, I’m sure.
It does take me back to my farm girl youth, Susanna. But sadly, my memories are not as sweet, considering tractors and other motor-driven equipment were involved. This book looks lovely, though. The illustrations remind me of Heartland by Diane Siebert.
Love the message in this story. Thanks for sharing!
This looks like a wonderful story. It makes summer pass at a slower pace. I have found that as much as I enjoy laugh-out-loud funny books and books with major climaxes, I am also drawn the the beauty and simplicity of quiet books. They are calming and slow me down the the pace of nature. Thanks for sharing this favorite.
What a lovely book you have chosen to share. Beautiful illustrations. I love it. Yes I will be sad that PPBF is coming to a close but then I am heading away for a few weeks myself and so will not be around. Will look forward to when PPBF starts up again. Have a lovely summer. Can’t wait till summer arrives again down here. 🙂
HAVE a FAB summer, Susanna! xo
Susanna, it’s a beautiful book. Have a great summer!