The spider, hard at work building her web, is continually disturbed by her noisy animal friends. Mr. Carle, who knows well the mind of a young child, has raised all the lines of the web, to add a tactile pleasure for the participating listener. This book now comes in a small carry-around size. Toddlers will also enjoy the participation of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar which comes peppered with objects a young child loves naming and with small caterpillar holes for little fingers to feel. Sounds abound in Craig Brown's My Barn.
Pointilistic pictures show the farmer in relationship with the soundmakers.
My daughter quickly taught me that this is also a great book for a young reader who enjoys making sounds. Marni McGee creates in her Quiet Farmer lyrical verses that will entertain a young child with unusual noises that more truly represent farm sounds than those that are more typically heard. She also celebrates the truth of a farmer's life by describing it with a long string of activities that made my young daughter realize how hard a farmer works. Ms. McGee ends with a serene pause that has tones of a lullaby for sleepy children, who like the farmer, finally require rest after a long full day. Ms. McGee's book also succeeds on a parent appeal level because of its subtle underpinnings.