20 Nov / Country Road ABC: An Illustrated Journey Through America’s Farmland by Arthur Geisert
While today’s country roads might seem to resemble life from centuries past, subtle contemporary reminders are unmistakable … take this country ramble with the alphabet as guide, where “A is for ammonia fertilizer,” “E is for erosion,” “I is for inoculate” as in little piggies with large needles, oh goodness, “T is for traffic,” and “X marks the spot” for the exact GPS location of the tiny Iowa town (population 98) which the author now calls home. Talk about a modern 21st-century rendering!
The journey across the fields, homesteads, barns, kicking and milking cows, street festivals (“J is for July 4”), and cozy winter gatherings, also progresses through the seasons – from the waking green of springtime to snow-covered rooftops by book’s end.
What makes this title especially engaging for even the youngest reader are the carefully placed, minutest details. Every double-page spread devoted to a letter is deftly etched, and filled with tiny reminders of the every day … the red bandana hanging out of a farmer’s back pocket ready to wipe away his sweaty exertions as he carries heavy feed sacks, the Irish and American flags criss-crossed on a wall calendar for the month of March, the rambunctious dog chasing the mailman’s car as it drives away, a long funeral procession headed toward the village cemetery where an open grave awaits, tent protecting the fresh soil …
In small ways and large, Geisert captures the passing of time with both whimsy and solemnity … his memorably etched journey is to be shared by all … come along and see how the other 98 people live …
Readers: Children
Published: 2010