Thank a Farmer

Rooted in gratitude, this educational title explains in simple yet comprehensive terms how animal products and foods move from farm to table. Narrating in free verse, Gianferrari succinctly compresses complex farming, production, and supply chain processes into easy-to-follow lines, inviting readers to learn about the origins of bread, cereal with milk, salad and veggies, and other favorites. For each food highlighted (“If you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches”), simple lines detail their journey to the table (“Peanut pods/ Grow underground./ Diggers pull up plants,/ Shake off soil”), ending in a sensory descriptive phrase (“Creamy and crunchy”). Mikai’s textural illustrations feature a Black family enjoying farmed products, flanked by lush fields, orchards, and harvests, and variously diverse depictions of the many individuals whose labors lead to every mouthful. Endnotes offer more about various farming methods. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)