We like books.
It’s a simple fact.
And so, we spend an enormous amount of time reading books, whether we are 40, 11, 8, 6 or 1.
Our hope for the books we read to our 1 year old is that they might help him make some kind of contextual sense of the world around him.
That they might help him learn.
So, imagine my disappointment when I opened up this book to share with Tiny.
I’ll admit…I didn’t actually browse through it when I bought it.
It said both “John Deere” and “ABC” on the cover.
Around here, either one of those terms makes a book golden.
Saturday night was the first night that Tiny was going to bed without being nursed to sleep.
It was time, and although I wasn’t ready, I thought he might be.
However, I wasn’t just going to dump him in his crib.
We started the ritual we have with the other monkeys, which is books, songs, then bed.
I picked this book out of his bookcase, as we hadn’t cracked the cover on this one yet.
We sat in his rocker and I opened and began to read.
First page went by just fine.
He was pointing at things, I was reading, there was learning going on.
(Okay, in MY mind, there was learning going on.)
Then we turned the page.
Farm.
Okay…I can get on board with that picture to describe the word.
However, while I realize this is a book manufactured by John Deere who has a product to sell, my guess is that the majority of children who will read this book will not make the connection between the letter “G” and this farm machine.
Yes, it happens to be called a “Gator” but, really? There was nothing else on a farm that started with the letter “G”?
Like, maybe a Gate?
We moved on.
I was somewhat stopped by the picture of “Ice Cream” on the opposite page, but I let it go.
Not really farming terminology, but my Grandma grew up on a farm, and I visited many times as a kid.
There WAS ice cream.
So, okay.
However, the next page made me pause, once again.
I see a barn AND a silo, and if I’m a little one, I’m focusing on the bigger part of the picture which ain’t the silo.
They couldn’t just put a picture of a lone silo in there?
Would that have been so difficult?
Here’s the one that really got me going, though.
Really?
Udder?
You can barely see the udder!
That girl is barely a A-cup.
I’m not sure how this is a picture of an Udder.
I think we all know who will be to blame when hundreds of kids go to nursery school, and when asked “What sound does this animal make?” call out “Squirt! Squirt!”
It was udder-ly ridiculous.
I’m sorry.
So sorry.
I couldn’t resist.
Finally, we came to “X.”
It was at this point that I realized the author, (and I use that term in the loosest sense of the word), wasn’t even trying.
It even took me a minute to figure out that it wasn’t the row of doors that was important in the picture.
It was the design of the “X” ON the door that mattered.
Whatever.
Lessons learned:
1. Look at the pictures in a picture book before you buy it.
2. Forget the whole novel writing gig. Apparently anyone can publish a picture book of ABC’s.
3. Tiny is only 1. He probably wasn’t going to learn anything from that book anyway, so I should just calm down and not have an udder about it.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Hilarious! The gator and silo were bad but the udder and X…omg! I feel like you should send it to the publisher who reps this along with a copy of this blog post….ten bucks says they offer you a deal! Do it!!! Xo h
Comment by hspphotography — March 4, 2012 @ 9:01 am |
I will definitely check into it! Thanks!
Comment by abozza — March 4, 2012 @ 10:34 am |
I agree with Heather. Write to the publisher. This was not a well-thought out book even if it was put out by John Deere just for the $$$$$ Will be interesting to see if they respond to you.
Comment by Carla — March 4, 2012 @ 9:41 am |
I’m on it! 🙂
Comment by abozza — March 4, 2012 @ 10:33 am |
This post made me chuckle. I’ve scratched my head a time or two over children’s picture books. Usually it’s the ones I hate that my kids love. And listen to Heather (I don’t know her, but she has smart ideas), send the publisher the link to this post. They should be aware of we as parents are looking for in our children’s books.
Comment by the domestic fringe — March 4, 2012 @ 10:15 am |
Thanks! Kids books…always interesting! 🙂
Comment by abozza — March 4, 2012 @ 10:33 am |
In defense of the author, how many “U” words can you come up with that you can find on a farm! 🙂 I’m not sure I could have even come up with udder! I got the “x” reference right away, for some reason.
Comment by Mad Hen — March 4, 2012 @ 11:22 am |
I’ve got no issue with “udder” for “U” but then let’s have a close-up of an udder! 🙂
Comment by abozza — March 4, 2012 @ 11:33 am |
What an udder failure of a book! Very funny post though.
Comment by Sheridan — March 4, 2012 @ 5:18 pm |
🙂 Udder failure…love t!
Comment by abozza — March 4, 2012 @ 6:18 pm |
Ok… I have to weigh in here.
I grew up on a farm. And, I know what a GATOR is. My parents’ neighbor has one- how do I know this? Its in a photo on FB. Although, I would think that any farmer knows – unless the GRAIN/PLANTS are GROWING, you really can’t harvest them in your John Deere HARVESTER.
I also grew up on a farm with a GAGGLE of GEESE. These were of the white GOOSE variety – not of the Canadian blend.
Ice cream – always a good thing, but I think farming is so very IMPORTANT in our food chain, that other words may be found. INVESTMENT. Now that is a word that could be used. With a piece of decent sized farm machinery costing up to $500,000 (harvester with corn/bean attachments) & tractors, and wagons, and trucks to haul the grain, Each spring, farmers check their machinery INVENTORY or ITEMS (equipment) and get it ready for the season – replacing broken parts, changing oil / tires, sharpening blades, etc. But, every farmer likes to take a afternoon break for lunch and can enjoy some ICE COLD lemonade.
We also had a SILO. They are a thing of the past though, now. Grain is stored now in BINS (although you can still get a fancy bin which is taller than others and is painted to look like your red silo type) – the typical bin on a farm can cost anywhere from $25K-$150K, depending on the bushel quantity & the automation (for stirring / rotating the STORED GRAIN).
Although silo works, I have to imagine that being a farm book & an advertisement from John Deere, they could have shown a farmer driving the TRACTOR, and using a PLANTER which puts SEEDS into the ground during the PLANTING season.
My maiden name is Schleuger & we had a huge “S” on the front of our garage – & that works for me, too. But, we also needed SUNSHINE for the plants to grow, SUNFLOWERS, SNOW in the winter, SNAILS in the ground, STRAWBERRIES in the patch, STRAW in the barn. We also liked to relax under a SHADE tree.
And, although UDDER is probably a USEFUL term for those milk producers, a closeup would be appropriate – but again, the roots do grow UNDER the dirt. And when a tractor doesn’t have a cab, an UMBRELLA attachment can be used to shield the farmer from the sun.
The X – well – they should have at least graphically enhanced the X design to stand out.
But – X Marks the Spot – when you are planting a seed in the ground… eXamine how the corn grows.
I definitely think that a letter is warranted. But, keep in mind – they may not be the brightest bulbs at John Deere (My father was an IH – International Harvester guy – IH is RED for those who don’t know the difference, whereas John Deere is GREEN – DUH – Why not THAT word instead of gator???)
And for anyone who doesn’t understand – the rivalry between the green followers and the red followers is not much different from the Green & the Blue (Jets & Giants), or any other sports team rivalries.
Hope I have been able to provide a little education & some valuable ideas for the letter.
Thanks for bringing up my childhood memories. LOVED IT!
Comment by Carla Corcoran — March 6, 2012 @ 9:36 am |
Carla, LOL! So, as we all can see, there are many, MANY other farm words that could be used in this book! Thanks, Carla! Don’t be surprised if they give you a call to write the next one!!!
Comment by abozza — March 6, 2012 @ 9:57 am |
Driving home from Sussex School after drop off this morning, I also said, DUH….
The SEEDs are planted in the SOIL.
(have I been off the farm THAT long????)
Comment by Carla Corcoran — March 6, 2012 @ 10:26 am
One more & then I promise to be done (need to be on a 9:30 call anyway).
ZEBRA’s? On a farm?
I’d rather see “The ZEST from the orange makes the SALAD yummy” or “The farmer has a petting ZOO for everyone to feed and pet the animals”.
BRAIN SURGERY – nope.
Early Childhood Education – nope.
The book was clearly written by someone pretending to be an IDIOT (I asked Olivia for an I word this morning – she contributed that one). Maybe they should consider that word instead of ice cream.
Comment by Carla Corcoran — March 6, 2012 @ 10:35 am |
I thought the Farmall tractor was red.
Comment by Grandpa — March 14, 2012 @ 2:36 pm |
I’ll have to take your word for that. 🙂
Comment by abozza — March 14, 2012 @ 7:53 pm |