Title: Fresh Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmer’s Market

Author/ Illustrator: Michelle Schaub/ Amy Huntington

Year published: 2017

Age Range: 2-10 years

Summary:

A collection of poems that shares the wonders and magic of a day at the farmer’s market.

Review:

From the inviting poem on the opening page to the final poem that leaves you dreaming for more, I loved this collection of poems. Schaub captures an fantastic mix of lyrical words, snappy rhythm, and childlike excitement of a farmer’s market.

In “Early Risers” she captures the delight of the early morning for farmers preparing for market day:

“While you sleep/ snuggled tight/ farmers toil/ by silver light.”

Michelle Schaub

I love her word choice and metaphor use in poems like “Pile Up”:

His cauliflower towers/ take him eons to align./ His pyramids of peppers/ show impeccable design.”

Michelle Schaub

She uses a variety of rhythm and styles, including “Wild Dreams in Two Voices” which would be perfect for classroom read aloud, but I personally would have loved to see more.

Amy Huntington’s watercolor illustrations are vibrant and quirky enough to capture the heart of Schaub’s poems showing a mix of diverse characters, frisky pets, and delicious food.

Possible issues to discuss:

None. Appropriate for all ages.

Classroom application:

I can see this picture book working in a variety of ways in the classroom:

• A seamless resource for a poetry unit.
• A resource to integrate with a science unit on plants or life cycles
• A resource to integrate with social studies on community helpers (farmers)
• A resource to integrate with social studies on transportation (where does food come from?)
• A resource for music studying rhythm and rhyme.

This book begs to be read aloud. Whether you’re a parent looking for a great picture book to share with your children or a teacher on the hunt for classroom resources, “Fresh-Picked Poetry” is an excellent choice.

Purchase Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmer’s Market

-Cathryn