Need two book suggestions- life on a farm and a great biography on Vivaldi

[Trivium Academy]

I'd like a book about farm life that might be more of a story of a family but it also explains the functions of the farm and about the animals. I found this book but I'm not sure if it would be a good read-aloud or if it's for an older crowd.


Growing Up on Maple Hill Farm: A New England Farm Life Author: Jerry Stelmok Born in 1948, master canoe-builder, artist, and author Jerry Stelmok spent his formative years on a 200-acre plot known as Maple Hill Farm. It was a family farm life that, for all its outmoded practices and seemingly endless work, Stelmok recalls fondly in this series of essays.

Purchased by Stelmok's grandfather in 1925, the farm was tucked away in the pristine beauty of the Maine wilderness. It was home not just to three generations of extended family, but also to sumptuous vegetable gardens and orchards, an eighteenth century Colonial-style home with an attached barn, and a colorful cast of farm animals of nearly every description. But what made the greatest impression on Stelmok was how his grandfather ran Maple Hill.

A Lithuanian immigrant, he clung to nineteenth-century ways, even using a pair of draft horses to power the entire operation until 1960. Stelmok recreates the world that was a constant source of wonder--the mixed herd of 40 cattle, the berry patches and gardens that boasted 3,000 tomato plants and supplied food for market and table, the woodlots that provided firewood and saw logs, and the surrounding forest.

With family photographs, watercolors, and enchanting prose, Stelmok evokes a bygone time and an airy, sun-dappled farmstead whose true magic was not just in the idyllic surroundings but in the loving home that his parents created despite lives seemingly so hard.


Format: Hardbound
Pages: 208
Length: 5.25 w x 7.50 h
ISBN-13: 9780760329191
ISBN: 0760329192


Because it is only 208 pages, I think it might be good for ages 6 & up. I can't get it from the library I would have to purchase it to see it, that's not how I like to preview books. Can someone recommend this title or any other title that may be like this?

Another book I'm looking for that seems hard to find is a biography about Antonio Vivaldi that is written similar to Opal Wheeler or Madeleine Goss. All I can find are 6th grade and up books. I want a literary biography if possible.

Thank you all,

[Alice]

Is Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder too obvious?

[TXMomof4]

How about Farmer Boy? There are a LOT of descriptions of the work they have to do as well as interactions within the family. That is my favorite Little House book.

[Trivium Academy]

I thought it was more about the boy instead of the farm, his life going to school and not something we could really understand farm life from. I can check it out from the library to read it though. Thank you Alice. :D

[Lenora in MD]

Farmer Boy would be wonderful. I don't think is talks much about the animals, except for horses. It is a great read, though, and really should not be missed. Charlotte's Web is also a great farm story. Understood Betsy is not specifically about a farm, but it does present rural life in a very appealing way.

Slightly off the question, but, if you haven't read the Little House books yet, I think you would really enjoy them. The audio books narrated by Cherry Jones are so well done. If you are planning on reading Farmer Boy, you may want to start with Little House in the Big Woods and then go on to Farmer Boy. And, instead of reading it, listening is even better. We always have an audio book going in the car and we all enjoy it so much. It also is a great way to get in some great literature when you are running around!

[dragons in the flower bed]

I'd like a book about farm life that might be more of a story of a family but it also explains the functions of the farm and about the animals. I found this book but I'm not sure if it would be a good read-aloud or if it's for an older crowd.

You might look at Pioneer Sampler (http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Sampler-Daily-Life-Family/dp/0395883938/). It's heavy on the farm life, including crafts and projects, but does have a storyline.

There's also The Year at Maple Hill Farm (http://www.amazon.com/Year-At-Maple-Hill-Farm/dp/0689845006) and Our Animal Friends (http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Friends-Maple-Hill-Farm/dp/0689844999), a sequel. These are simple picture books for an afternoon's snuggle, not a read-aloud you'd go back to every night.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Another book I'm looking for that seems hard to find is a biography about Antonio Vivaldi that is written similar to Opal Wheeler or Madeleine Goss. All I can find are 6th grade and up books. I want a literary biography if possible.

I have not seen Opal Wheeler's books in person. The only biography for grammar stage children I'm aware of is I, Vivaldi (http://www.amazon.com/I-Vivaldi-Janice-Shefelman/dp/0802853188).

[Trivium Academy]

I love Pioneer Sampler, it seems perfect! Thank you Rose!

[Audrey]

Would you be interested in something that also has modern value? A lot of the books mentioned already are great books, for sure. However, they're all about pre-modern farms. I can assure you, we aren't hooking up horses anymore around here! ;)

There's a book called The American Family Farm by Hans Halberstadt. It isn't exactly a children's book, per se, but it is a suitable read-aloud, IMO. It is broken into seasons and talks about both antique methods of farming and modern practices.

You can get a googlebook preview of it here. (http://books.google.ca/books?id=pL-angnX7HAC)

[Audrey]

And, while you're on farms... here's a great page of resources, lesson plans and activities (http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/farmanim.html).

[Mrs. Readsalot]

As I was recently going through our books to see what I should sell, I just could not part with Pioneer Sampler.
For Vivaldi I would consider the Classical Kids CD on him, it is very good.

[MelissaMinNC]

Does Mike Venezia have a bio of him? I know he has a lot of books on artists, but I thought I saw one at the library on a composer the other day - I just can't remember which composer it was, LOL.

Anyway, might be something to consider - it would be a short, read in one or two sittings type book, but we've enjoyed the ones we've read...

We also read a book called Century Farm last year. It's a picture book, non-fiction, with photos. Also, read in one or two sittings, not a long chapter book or anything. But it's about a farming family who have lived and worked their farm for 100 years - it was interesting.

Just a couple of thoughts...oh, one more thought. I believe, but can't say for sure that the Little House books are scheduled with TOG Y3. It seems like I saw that somewhere, though now I can't find the Y3 booklist. But, I didn't know if you'd want to go through them two years in a row, if they are scheduled, so it might be something to check.

:)
Melissa

[Trivium Academy]

Thank you Melissa! :) I can't wait for the TOG Year 3 book list!

[whitestavern]

We enjoyed Maple Hill Farm as well as Century Farm. I've heard Hannah's
Farm is good as well, but we haven''t read that yet. No suggestions on Vivaldi--sorry.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I'd like a book about farm life that might be more of a story of a family but it also explains the functions of the farm and about the animals. I found this book but I'm not sure if it would be a good read-aloud or if it's for an older crowd.



Any of the Maple Hill Farm books by Alice and Martin Provensen are amazing. And there's an obscure one that I love called An Owl and Three Pussycats that I adore. They are picturebooks, but they are a rich delight through and through. And they show the good, the bad, and the ugly of animals on a farm.

Edit: These are not related to the one you posted about, btw, unless I'm badly mistaken. Just a coincidental name similarity.

[mcconnellboys]

I also like Century Farm and another - I think it's called Threshing Time.....

Regena

[woolybear]

Why don't you check out A Farm Through Time by Eric Thomas and Angela Wilkes. It is more about the work on a farm and how it has changed through the centuries. I think it is based on an English farm so it goes way back. It doesn't sound like quite what you are looking for,but it is a great book. (Great series by the way.They have A Street Through Time, A port Through Time, and A City Through Time.)

Kim

[Eliana]

We really liked Roland Vernon's Introducing Vivaldi:

http://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Vivaldi-Famous-Composers-Roland/dp/0382396340/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205090500&sr=1-1

He has several other books in this nice series, but, unfortunately, they are out of print and rather hard to find except at libraries.

Here's another title, but not one we liked as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Times-Antonio-Lucio-Vivaldi-Masters/dp/1584152419/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205090500&sr=1-3

I think there is a book of the Classical Kids Cd Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery:

http://www.amazon.com/Vivaldis-Ring-Mystery-Classical-Audio/dp/1895404266/ref=ed_oe_a

Here is a title I've heard of, but not yet seen:

http://www.amazon.com/I-Vivaldi-Janice-Shefelman/dp/0802853188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205090688&sr=1-1



HTH

Eliana

[Trivium Academy]

and decide from there. We're in the middle of farmland right now but we're moving in June. We'll be studying the Colonies in June and I figured that would be a great time to read about farms and visit a few locally to see all that is involved. It is an area I haven't capitalized on since living here and I want to make sure I do before we move.

Thanks again!

[woolybear]

Jessica,
I just saw several items for sale about farms on another board. (Including the book I mentioned.) It looks like a nice set. I don't know if it's okay to mention other boards here, so if you are interested you can e-mail and I'll pass along the info. Kim kbe6910@sbcglobal.net