Armentrout, David. Farm Machinery. Vero Beach: Rourke, 1995. ISBN: 1559161353. Ages 4-8. Grade: B.

Farm Machinery discusses such heavy machinery as tractors, plows, combines, cotton strippers, windrowers, and harvesters. There is a glossary and an index.

Bail, Raymond. Portrait of a Farm Family. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. ISBN: 0395699363. (Ages 8+) Grade: A.

A detailed and informative look at an Illinois farm family. The photographs are excellent and the text is clear and includes concepts of farm economics.

Bingham, Caroline. Tractor. New York: DK, 2004. ISBN: 0756602173. [ Machines at work] Ages 4-12. Grade: A.

Tractor would more accurately be entitled "Farm Machines." Some of the machines described are seed drills, crop sprayers, various harvesters, bailers, hay tredders, ATVs, and monster tractors. The photographs are excellent. One shows a machine where seven people are carried along just over the soil weeding seedlings on an organic farm. The text is full of fun facts. There is a glossary and an index.

Brady, Peter. Tractors. Mankato: Bridgestone, 1996. ISBN: 1560653485. Ages 4-8. Grade: A.

Simply and clearly details the parts of a tractor and its uses. For example, "Tractor tires have deep grooves called lugs. Lugs help tires go through mud and water without getting stuck. Some tractors have duals for even more grip." Mentions such details as farmers tracking engine hours rather than miles, the power takeoff, and some kinds of machinery pulled by a tractor. There is a hands on activity that suggests how a child can do the work of a tractor when planting bean seeds. There is a short glossary, index, and bibliography.

Burckhardt, Ann L. Corn. Mankato: Bridgestone, 1996. ISBN: 1560654503. Age 4-8. Grade: B.

Overly simple and eclectic look at corn. Each two page spread has a photo on the left and about 25 words on the right page. The book begins, "What is Corn? Corn is one of the world's most important crops. Corn is also called maize. That is an Indian word meaning life-giver."

Burton, Jane. The Nature and Science of Leaves. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 1997. ISBN: 083681942X. [Exploring the Science of Nature] Ages 9-12. Grade: A-.

Solid introduction to the form and function of leaves. Answers such questions as why leaves are green, and also discusses special leaves, leaves as food, and falling leaves. Has a clean book design and good photos. A nice feature is an explanation of scientific names and a list of plants and animals highlighted in the book. Includes activities, glossary, bibliography, webography, and index.

Solid intro to basic concepts regarding trees. I occasionally wished Gibbons would have chosen the more scientifically correct term than a common, but less specific word. Includes an identification guide for various trees and shows young naturalists how to make their own tree identification book (pressing leaves, leaf and bark rubbings, and drawings).

Goldreich, Gloria. What Can She Be?: A Farmer. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1976. ISBN: 068841768X. Ages 8-12. Grade: A.

This thirty year old book discusses life on a Maine dairy farm for the two sisters who run it. It is included here for its emphasis of women in agriculture. The excellent photos are a slice of rural Maine in the 70's.

Hansen, Ann Larkin. All Kinds of Farms. Minneapolis: Abdo & Daughters, 1996. ISBN: 1562396218. Ages 4-8. Grade: A.

Describes farms past and present; large and small; and north, south, east, and west. Also mentions various crop, cattle, hogs, dairy, irrigated, and organic farms. Excellent glossary and index.

Hansen, Ann Larkin. Farm Kids. Minneapolis: Abdo & Daughters, 1996. ISBN: 1562396234. Ages 4-8. Grade: A.

Discusses what it is like to grow up on a farm and live in a rural community. Farm kids are expected to help with the chores but they also tend to spend more time with their parents and learn by doing. Also mentions 4-H clubs, fairs, and rodeos. The photos are of good quality, but are starting to show their age. Excellent glossary and index and a short list for further information.

Hansen, Ann Larkin. Farmers. Minneapolis: Abdo & Daughters, 1996. ISBN: 156239620X. Ages 4-8. Grade: A.

Discusses the occupation of farmer in the U.S. Farmers mentions the demographics, disposition, and character of farmers. Also touches on a variety of topics such as farm paperwork and worries. Discusses how farming has changed and how nursery businesses, greenhouses, and organic farms are growing in number. Excellent glossary and index.

Hipp, Andrew. Corn Inside and Out. New York: PowerKids, 2004. ISBN: 0823942058. Ages 8-12. Grade: B.

This book is a good addition to the limited number of books on corn for young people of which there are surprisingly few considering how important corn is to the US food supply and economy. There are some good quality photographs and some excellent labeled illustrations. The writing is not as clear or concise as I would like and the organization is not great either. However many important topics are covered such as parts of a corn plant, how it grows, and fertilization. It also looks at diverse corn related topics like insects, ancient corn, storage, and a few positives and negatives of modern corn. There is a glossary, index, and publisher updated web links.

Holland, Gini. I Live in the Country, Vivo en el Campo. Milwaukee: Weekly Reader Early Learning Library, 2004. ISBN: 0836841271. [Where I live (English & Spanish)] Ages 2-6. Grade: B.

The best thing about this book is that it is bilingual. Unfortunately, most of the simple sentences about living in the country are not specific only to living in the country. Examples from the book include grass and trees grow in the country. Of course, they grow in the city, too. However, I like the sentiment of the last sentence. "I like to live in the country." At least, this book may help both English and Spanish speakers learn a few new words in their own and in a second language.

Huggins-Cooper, Lynn. Plants and Flowers. North Mankato: Smart Apple Media, 2004. ISBN: 1583404473. Ages 4-10. Grade: A.

Two fun and informative books in one. One part shows Ruby, a young girl, exploring nature and working in a garden while the other part explains concepts. For example, one page shows Ruby sniffing flowers, which makes her sneeze. Another section explains nectar, pollen, and pollination. It mentions that pollen causes allergies in some people and how pollen travels in the wind and via insects. The text also asks questions like, "Grass has feathery flowers. How do you think this helps spread pollen on the wind?" Some topics covered are plant parts, life cycle, seeds, and the food chain. The illustrations are very warm and friendly looking. There are several activities, an index, and a glossary.

Hunter, Rebecca. The Facts about Flowering Plants. North Mankato: Smart Apple Media, 2005. ISBN: 1583404546. Ages 9-14. Grade: A+.

Very informative and fun to read introduction to the many kinds of flowering plants. The photographs and illustrations are excellent--much better than those in many children's science books. Some topics covered are plant parts, pollination, life cycle, unusual flowers, and a simple explanation of photosynthesis. The book design is colorful and key facts are noted in review type boxes. There are many resources listed for further study, an index, and a glossary.

Kallen, Stuart. The Farm. Minneapolis: Abdo & Daughters, 1997. ISBN: 1562397133. [Field Trips] Ages 4-8. Grade: B.

Text heavy explanation of where food comes from and what one might see if he or she visited a farm. A cow is shown being milked by hand, farm animals and machines are briefly introduced. The illustration of a farm looks quaint. The life described does not sound all that appealing and generalizations are too broad. For example, the page that describes farm kids says, "They must get up in the morning and milk the cows. Then they do chores and eat breakfast. After that they must go to school all day! After school, kids have to milk the cows again."

Kids, Crops, & Critters in the Classroom: Resource Guide for Teachers. Illinois Farm Bureau. 1999. Grades 4-6. Grade: A+.

A standards based teaching tool with ready to go lessons for grades 4-6. Some lessons could easily be adapted for younger or older students. Several topics included are ag. careers, ecosystem biodiversity, and tracking technology. Of course, it covers corn and soybeans, but also dairy, sheep, swine, cattle, etc. It has fun activities like puzzles and instructions on how to make a corn husk doll. Where else can you find a student activity that describes the main parts of a soybean seed? How cool is that?

Kottke, Jan. From Seed to Pumpkin. New York: Children's Press, 2000. ISBN: 0516233092. Ages 4-8. Grade: B.

Very simple text describes how a pumpkin seed grows into a pumpkin. Mentions root and shoots, flowering, pollination, and maturity. The book design is simple and the photographs are good. There is a glossary, index, and lists of resources for further study.

Lilly, Melinda. Make it grow. Vero Beach: Rourke, 2004. ISBN: 1589526376. Ages 4-8. Grade: B.

Perfectly acceptable book if you are looking for a fun (as opposed to scientific) intro to how plants grow. Shows kids making plant "aliens" with living grass for hair. Gives very basic info about what plants need to grow and photosynthesis. The book is colorful and the photos where taken just for Make It Grow. There is a nice illustration showing the root, leaves, and stem. There are a couple of activities, a glossary, an index, and a few questions to think about at the end of the book.

McEvoy, Paul. Flowers. Philadelphia: Chelsea Clubhouse, 2004. ISBN: 0791072908. Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

A well written, info packed introduction to flowers. Nice amount of details about the plant life cycle are included. For example, "a circle of stamens grows around the stigma. Each stamen holds a pollen sac called an anther." The photos are clear and labeled and the book design is very colorful. There is a activity involving food coloring, water, and carnations. One page shows examples of flowering and non-flowering plants. There is a glossary and index.

Morgan, Sally. Flowers, Trees, and Fruits. New York: Kingfisher, 1996. ISBN: 075345033X. Ages 4-8 Grade: A+.

Very well written explanations cover such topics as roots, reproduction, and seedling development. What it lacks in depth on some subjects is makes up for in the variety of topics covered. The "Inside the Plant" section is detailed including diagrams of leaf cells and a discussion of stoma, xylem, and phloem. The only negative comment I could make is that the explanation of photosynthesis is not very detailed compared to other topics. I was impressed with the inclusion of the comment in the beginning of the book that warns would be young botanists not to collect wild plants even if there are lots of them.

Nelson, Robin, We Use Water.  Minneapolis: Lerner, 2003. ISBN: 0822545942. Ages 4-8. Grade: A-.

Very basic look at how people utilize water for such things as agriculture, fishing, transportation, hydroelectricity, and washing. Each page contains one large, colorful photograph and one simple, easy to read sentence.  At the end, one page explains the total difference between total water and drinking water.  There is a nice chart, too. There are a few water facts that might be useful in teaching water conservation.  There is a photo glossary and index.

Oliver, Clare. Life in a Flowerbed. Austin: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2002. ISBN: 073984329X. [Microhabitats Series] Ages 6-10. Grade: A.

Starts with a description of the habitat of typical flower gardens. General introduction to flowers including such topics as sun needs, life cycles, size, etc. Shows how seeds grow and discusses pollination. Briefly mentions soil. Touches on quite a number of animal, insect, and various life forms that inhabit gardens. Illustrations are clearly labeled and include a good mix of photos and drawings. Book design is colorful and page layout varies nicely. Includes a glossary, reading list, and extensive index.

Orme, Helen. Why Do Plants Grow in Spring? Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2004. ISBN: 0836837908. [What? Where? Why?] Ages 4-8. Grade A-.

A very bright and inviting book that discusses the plant life cycle throughout the year. Questions such as "What happens to plants in the summer?" and "Why are flowers important" are posed at the top of the pages. The text and photos wind around the page and there is a path reminiscent of a board game to follow. The photos are very clear and colorful; unfortunately, those pictures with people in them look like stock photos. Children, however, likely will not be bothered by them. There are quiz type questions throughout and there is an index.

Oxlade, Chris. Soil. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2002. ISBN: 1588105873. Ages 4-8. Grade: B+.

Soil is a good introduction, but several facts were a bit too general. For example, "Plants cannot live without soil." To keep the book simple for the intended audience that sentence might have read, "Few plants can live without soil." The photos could be improved with labels and some stock photos don't seem to be a perfect match for the book. I liked the "Fact File" and "Can You Believe it?" sections. Also contains a glossary, short bibliography, and index.

Pascoe, Elaine. The Ecosystem of a Garden. New York: PowerKids, 2003. ISBN: 0823963063. [The Library of Small Ecosystems Series] Ages 8-12. Grade: B+.

Focuses on the important plants, insects, and animals that make up a typical home garden ecosystem. Excellent photographs show close up views of such wild life as a potato beetle, a praying mantis, a vole, and a toad. Spotlights a select number of examples rather that trying to be comprehensive. Includes a glossary, index, and publisher updated web page related to The Ecosystem of a Garden.

Riley, Peter. Plants. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2004. ISBN: 0836837185. [Everyday science series] Ages 4-8. Grade: A-.

Rogers. Hal. Tractors. Chanhassen: Child's World, 2001. ISBN: 156766752X. Ages 4-8. Grade B-.

Easy reader that mentions a few uses of tractors and several main parts. For example, "A tractor can pull heavy machines, such as a plow. A plow helps get soil ready for planting." The photos are good. The best is a close-up of what the cab of one tractor looks like. There is a glossary.

Scholastic's the Magic School Bus Gets Planted: A Book about Photosynthesis. New York: Scholastic, 1997. ISBN: 0590922467. Ages 8-12. Grade: A.

Busy, colorful illustrations and dialog tells a story about photosynthesis. Mentions that plants get water from soil, air via holes in the leaves, and energy from the sun to make a kind of sugar. Explains that leaves are green because of the chloroplasts. A more detailed note at the end explains that the plants make carbohydrates from water, carbon dioxide gas, and sunlight.  It mentions the holes in the leaves are called stomata and that water flows through xylem and sugars through the phloem. 

Snedden, Robert. Plants & Fungi: Multicelled Life. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2003. ISBN: 1588106756. [Cells and Life Series] Ages 10+. Grade: A+.

Excellent series. Useful even for older students. Topics include: plant cells, tissues, woody stems, photosynthesis, roots, sexual reproduction, and fungi. Easy to understand explanation does not patronize young readers. The illustration and photograph quality and details are fabulous. For example one small illustration of an "enlarged root tip" shows the cortex, vascular tissue, epidermis, root hairs, area of meristem, and the root cap. I found it an enjoyable and fascinating read. Includes discussion of the plant kingdom, an extensive glossary, four item bibliography, and detailed index.

Snedden, Robert. The World of the Cell: Life on a Small Scale. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2003. ISBN: 1588106764. [Cells and Life Series] Ages 10+. Grade: A+.

Introduces cells, eukaryotes, protistans, viruses and bacteria. There are also discussions called "Under the Microscope" and "First Cells." The photographs are extraordinary and there are many labeled illustrations. The writing is very clear and concise. There is a summery called "The Chemistry of Life," an extensive glossary, bibliography, and index.

Snyder, Inez. Cranberries. New York: Children's Press, 2004. ISBN: 0516275925. [Harvesttime Series] Ages 4-7. Grade: A.

Colorful book with excellent photos. Snyder has written a simple book that is packed with cranberry information. Beyond saying cranberries grow on vines in bogs, it focuses on the work of farmers harvesting cranberry. Includes bibliographical references, and index. Other entries in the Harvesttime Series are Apples, Carrots, Oranges, Tomatoes, and Wheat.

Stewart, Melissa. Down to Earth. Minneapolis: Compass Point, 2004. ISBN: 075650595X. Ages 6-10. Favorably reviewed.

Stewart gives step by step suggestions on how to investigate the soil in your own back yard (or near by...). Discusses the life you might find in the soil, composition, and several soil types (clay, sand, silt). Many photos were taken specifically for this book. There are some good illustrations. There are three activities included as well as a glossary, resources, and an index. Overall, I think this would be a good book to encourage scientific discovery.

Stille, Darlene. Soil: Digging into Earth's Vital Resource. Minneapolis: Compass Point, 2005. ISBN: 0756508576. Ages 8-14. Grade: A+.

This is the best soil book that I have read. It contains excellent detail and a lot of information. For example, "Soil is a mixture of air, water, mineral particles, and decayed (or rotted) plants and animals. Scientists call the mineral particles inorganic material. The particles made up of dead plants and animals are called organic material." Covers such topics as soil components, formation, types, and conservation. Also covers organic farming and composting. Includes interesting topics such as African mud cloth, soil orders, solving crime with soils and pH. The book design is orderly and there are photos as well as illustrations. Mentions the occupation of pedologist or soil scientist. There are lists of additional resources, a glossary, and an index.

Taus-Bolstad, Stacy. From Grass to Milk. Minneapolis: Lerner, 2004. ISBN: 0822546647. [Start to Finish] Ages 4-8. Grade: A-.

Shows milk production starting with a cow eating grass. Focuses on the transporting, processing, and packaging milk goes through to prepare it for sale in stores. Simple sentences are on the left page and each right page is a color photo. Includes a three word glossary and eight word index.

Tomecek, Steve. Dirt. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2002. ISBN: 0792282043. [Jump into Science Series] Ages 4-8. Grade: B+.

Dirt is a very accessible book. It starts simply and tries to make a connection with what readers already know about dirt. The author soon begins to call dirt "soil". It discusses soil's composition, formation, and use. It also covers some of the animals, insects, and organisms that live in soil. There is information about the layers of soil and conservation is mentioned briefly. There is a plant growing activity, but no resources for further study. The illustrations are colorful, clear, and kind of friendly. This book might be a good companion to the humorous fictional tale, The Diary of a Worm.

Wallace, Holly. Cells and Systems. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2001. ISBN: 1575723360. [Life Processes] Ages 9-13. Grade: A.

Starts by explaining what cells are and comparing plant and animal cells. Several pages describe the parts of plants, making food, respiration, inside a leaf and "plant plumbing". The rest of the book explores human cells and covers such topics as bones, muscles, systems (circulatory, digestive, respiratory, nervous), waste and water, your senses, and reproduction. The book design is clear and colorful. There are excellent photographs with many magnified views of cells and numerous labeled illustrations. There is also a glossary, bibliography, and index.

Watts, Barrie. Pumpkin. Mankato: Smart Apple Media, 2003. ISBN: 1583401997. [Watch it grow] Ages 4-12. Grade: A.

Up close and detailed look at the growth of a pumpkin from seed germination to its use after harvest. The text is clearly written and well researched. Beyond the obvious topics in this type of book, Pumpkins covers concepts such as seed leaves, root hairs, and what happens to a flower that isn't pollinated. Excellent photographs and a labeled illustration. The photographs could be improved with captions. There is a glossary, index, and one page photo recap of the pumpkin life cycle.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Chicken Farm. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 2004. ISBN: 1575051915. [Life on a farm] Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

Comprehensive look at one farm family in Pennsylvania that raises half a million chickens a year for Tyson. Life on a Chicken Farm shows one eight week cycle from when the chicks arrive to when they go for processing. The text is clear, well researched, and ordered. The photographs are excellent and show a family that enjoys working together; the sons and the daughters all pitch in. There is a glossary, extensive index, and list of resources as well as a page of fun facts about chicken.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Crop Farm. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 2002. ISBN: 157505518X. [Life on a farm] Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

Focuses on a family farm that includes a farm stand business. The children are shown picking crops and selling produce. Important concepts such as crop rotation and photosynthesis are introduced. There is a glossary, extensive index, and list of resources as well as a page of fun facts about crops.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a Dairy Farm. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 2004. ISBN: 1575051907. [Life on a farm] Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

Follows the Hershey family as they operate their 700 cow dairy farm. Discusses birth to maturity and shows in great detail how cows are milked on a modern farm. The story is told from the point of view of the young teenage son, who avoids such terms as artificial insemination. The photos show a modern, prosperous farm and a happy, hard working family. There is a glossary, extensive index, and list of resources as well as a page of fun facts about cows.

Other titles in the Life on the Farm series include Life on a Pig Farm, Life on a Horse Farm, and Life on an Apple Orchard.