Do you know someone who helps everyone? Whatever is needed they are there. What happens when they need help? Today we are sharing two picture books about such "people". The first book is Big Rig Pig written by Claire Tattersfield and illustrated by Rob Sayegh, Jr. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
About the Book:
Meet Miles Bacon, the truck-driving, box-hauling, big rig pig! From the New York Times bestselling duo behind Cupig, this charming picture book is “sure to delight young readers” (Booklist) who love Little Blue Truck and Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.Got a truck stuck in a ditch?
Or a hot dog cart that needs a hitch?
Miles Bacon’s the one to call,
There’s not a thing that he can’t haul!
When Miles Bacon spends the whole day helping out others, hauling boxes, five tons of apples, and even an entire circus, he learns that maybe he doesn’t have to do it all. And that sometimes, it’s okay if he’s the one who needs help; good friends will always be there to lend a helping hand, or truck!
With bouncy, rhyming text and comically expressive art from New York Times bestselling duo Claire Tattersfield and Rob Sayegh Jr., Big Rig Pig is a sweet and funny story about a determined and dependable truck-driving pig. Includes two special fold-out pages.
From Me:
This is a fun book! It rhymes and Miles Bacon drives a big rig, so it has trucks perfect for all the truck (and pig) lovers!! Miles keeps getting calls to help others because their mode of transportation breaks down. However after adding so much to his load his truck has a problem making it up a hill. The community swarms in to help because Miles is always happy to help others!
I love the animals working together and all the trucks in this book. The rhymes and the illustrations make the book fun to read and I would guess that kids will enjoy finding the various trucks, animals and more in the pictures as the book is re-read over and over. I love that no matter what Miles is towing he keeps saying yes to helping more and then when he can't do it the entire community comes to make it all happen. It is a fun book teaching about helping others as well as about modes of transportation and trucks. Kids will love this book, and it is perfect for classroom lessons on community and community helpers!
Our next book is about a farmer who provides fresh food and flowers to her town and doesn't need help from others until a storm ruins her farm. A young neighbor steps up to start helping her. It also introduces concepts of money and community!! The book is The Farm Next Door written by Kelly Rice Schmitt and illustrated by Charles Santoso. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
Discover how one individual impacts her community economically and how YOU can too in this inspiring story about a farmer and her friends!Farmer Fran’s community depends on her. She collects the eggs, milks the cows, picks the vegetables, and delivers everything to her customers, keeping the neighborhood going! Then a storm hits, destroying the farm, and Farmer Fran has to lean on her neighbors in her time of need. The town creates a fundrasier for her and Farmer Fran learns the true value of community.
For fans of Richard Scarry, here is a gentle introduction to the concept of money and community, using heartwarming animal characters, from a New York Times bestselling illustrator.
From Me:
In this beautiful book, Farmer Fran grows many things for various people in the town. She delivers flowers to the florist, produce to the school, eggs and vegetables to the local restaurant. People at each place recognize what she does for them and offer to help, but she keeps turning help down. Then a bad storm hits her farm and destroys her barn and fields. The bank won't give her the money to rebuild. She is devastated, but so are the businesses that relied on her. One of the kids who is her neighbor, Grace, knows what to do. She begins a fundraising campaign to help Fran rebuild. And not only that she plans a fundraiser carnival and the whole town shows up. Fran has the money to rebuild but the town is not done giving back. They show up to rebuild the farm with her and Fran decides it is no longer just her farm. She learns to accept help and realizes how much she is part of the community.
I love that the town sees Fran as the one who feeds them and supports them. I also love that it is a child who steps up to begin helping Fran. This book has so many wonderful lessons in it from accepting help, helping others as well as community and more! It also has lessons on how important farms are to our survival and how easy they can get ruined. It takes a community to support one another, and it is not always about the big profit. It is the perfect book to teach about growing food, community, economy and so much more!
At the end of the book is a page about how a local economy works which includes the idea of banking as well. There are things to look for in the book as well as in one's own community and a glossary. It introduces young kids to the idea of money, economy, and working together. It is great for lessons on money as well as farming and helping others!
