Having grown up close to the Amish, it did not take long to discover the "humble life" was that of the Amish and not of farmers in the past. The illustration after "On Sabbath Summer Mornings" shows the orange triangle that is placed on the back of the buggies to caution drivers. Later in "Pumpkins and Mums" the poem references cars driving by quickly. While many readers may not have background with the Amish, it is clear from contextual clues that these poems are about people who live in the present time, with old-fashioned ways. A favorite, "Come Fall" references all the beauty that comes with the season. This would be an appropriate book to teach children about the Amish and their culture. ( )

Poetry. This story is told with a poetic twist on it. It talks about all four seasons. It start with spring and it talks about what happens during spring. After that it moves on to summer and the fun events of summer. Fall is next, they talk about pumpkins and thanksgiving. Lastly it talks about a white winter day. ( )

Review—

Genre: Poetry

Age Appropriateness: Primary and lower Secondary.

Setting: At the end of the book the author talks about where she is from and a part of her heritage. So from that information the reader can conclude that the place where this book takes place is in the U.S. As for the time period it could be now or it could be 100 years ago. That information is unknown.

Plot: This book is a glimpse into the life of an Amish or Mennonite family. These poems talk about what happens on the farms during the four seasons and the activities that they participate in as well.

Genre: Poetry ( )