City Slickers - Read No Further!

Every month I get a box of books from the Junior Library Guild. On the side of the box it says, “Yay, It’s Here!” And that’s exactly my sentiment. It’s like Christmas once a month. I dive into each box and every once in a while I get a book that takes my breath away. Sleep Tight Farm written by Eugenie Doyle and illustrated by Becca Stadtlander is one of those books.

It was love at first sight. I opened the pages and found myself wanting to jump in. Literally! I started thinking about buying land and growing a little farm. I had visions of my husband chopping wood while my son stacked piles in the shed. My oldest daughter feeding the chickens while my youngest daughter collects eggs in a basket. And myself, inside the warm, farm-house, watching in peaceful delight from the kitchen window. In reality, I’m more of the city type. I get uneasy in noiseless, wide open spaces with no one around for miles. So for me, being so lured into this book came to a shock. But with its beautiful lyrical lines such as “fragile gifts from our friends” (referring to eggs) and “goodnight strawberries covered with straw” combined with the soft, yet vivid illustrations that give the perfect balance between realism and romanticism, it’s no wonder how this book will put anyone, regardless of geographical living preference, under its country life spell. If your child brings this book home from the library, grab a quilt, choose a cozy spot by the fire or somewhere warm and enjoy, again and again!