Old Manhattan Has Some Farms

Lendroth (Calico Dorsey) commandeers a classic nursery rhyme and moves its agricultural subject matter into the city, allowing readers to literally sing the praises of urban farming efforts in New York City, Atlanta, Toronto, and other locations with an “E-I-E-I-grow!” Working in a vibrant palette of acrylics, Endle (My Woodland Wish) paints active scenes of children and adults planting seedlings on rooftop farms and once-empty lots, stringing up dried herbs, and tending to beehives. Thick black outlines and the characters’ ovoid heads give the scenes an almost coloring-book feel; ringers for Michelle Obama and Bo can be spotted as readers travel to Washington, D.C., to check out compost bins at the White House. Lendroth’s lyrics create a few tongue-twisting moments (“With a heat lamp here,/ hydroponics there—/ arugula, radicchio,/ salad greens are great to grow”), but it’s easy to get into the enthusiastic fun of this adaptation. Resources provided in endnotes underscore the idea that “Anyone can start a farm.” The song is also available for free download, performed by children’s musician Caspar Bossypants. Ages 3–7. [em]Author’s agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary. (Aug.) [/em]