THREE PROS
*It takes a special kind of mind to tackle a classic character reimagination project, but it looks like Judy Sierra is becoming a force to be reckoned with in this arena (improving on earlier attempts like Tell The Truth, B.B. Wolf)
*All the little touches are what really allow this book to shine -- especially the composting arc that, once and for all, shows it is possible to polish a turd and make it sparkle
*Locating the farm smack dab in the middle of suburbia was a cool idea, not to mention one that made it more relatable to a wider audience
THREE CONS
*If there is one thing lacking, it's the limited frequency of E-I-E-I-Os in the text, which to some degree takes away from the read-aloud fun that the song elicits
*On the flip side, the muddy-to-clean ratio is possibly a tad high
*As a matter of fact, the fecal matter also piles up in the middle, which might be a turn-off to some folks
ONE DAD'S OPINION
Before I harvest a review for you, please let me expand on that second pro above. There are so many cool seeds in here that don't seem like much on their own but end up coming together to yield a bumper crop. From the match.com style animal search, to the opposing force of the angry neighbors, to the worms engaging in a fine-dining experience... every element is introduced flawlessly and with pizzazz. Honestly, I had such trouble finding three cons that I-E-I-E-I-O-U, Sierra, and illustrator Matthew Myers nothing less than a "Best of the Best" Buy rating!
BUY / Borrow / Donate / Destroy
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