An African-American boy rises early in the morning and goes through an idyllic farming day, his eyes on the position of the sun. The rhyming text is a little singsongy ("Pa by the shed / rollin' out wire. / Summer sun's climbin' / higher and higher"), but the rich, restful illustrations of the farm and the stylized, geometrically planed depictions of the family provide texture and movement.

<p>Sunny acrylic and oil paintings on textured paper coupled with verses featuring colloquial language portray a summer day in the life of a hardworking African-American farm family. It's not all work and no play on this farm, however; the affectionate family makes time for "fishin'" and "readin'" after a long day spent milking cows, feeding animals, wiring a chicken coop, mowing, and hoeing in the hot sun. The folksy text is full of homespun details, like the description of a farm breakfast, featuring "Fritters in a pan, coffee in the pot." It's complemented by bright, stylized illustrations that inspire a virtual sweat as readers follow the family through their chores and feel their tired satisfaction at the end of a productive day. The rhythmic verses beg to be read aloud, and the colors and typeface are bold enough for group sharing. A cheery introduction to farm life and simple poetry. (Picture book. 3-6)</p>

PreS-Gr 1-As the sun rises, a young African-American boy wakes up and begins his busy, enjoyable day on the family farm. Milking cows, feeding pigs, and plowing the field are some of the activities in which he takes part. A midday picnic and evening fishing with his father balance out the day, which concludes with bedtime stories, Pa playing his guitar, and Ma reading the mail. The story is told in a comforting, lulling rhyme ("Bees in the hive fruit on the trees. Summer sun's stirrin' a summertime breeze") that suits the wholesome setting perfectly. The illustrations, oil and acrylic on textured paper, are stylized and curved to reflect the lay of the land. A Texas farm served as the model for this book, expansively depicted on the double-page spreads. This is a nicely designed book, from its endpapers (saffron at the beginning, cobalt at the end) to its simple, homespun typeface. It truly conjures up a lovely summer's day on a farm, and can be used during storytimes or as a cozy one-on-one bedtime story.-Anna DeWind Walls, Milwaukee Public Library Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.