Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Farm Animals Nonfiction Books About Farm Animals Farm Animals / Bison / Cattle and Calves / Dairy Cattle / Goats / Horses / Poultry / Sheep / Swine Farm Animals in Fiction and Fantasy Facts about Farm Animals Nonfiction Books About Farm Animals Farm Animals in Fiction and Fantasy Easton, Patricia Harrison, and Herb Ferguson, A Week at the Fair: A County Celebration, Millbrook, 1995. (Grades PreK-1) Detailed account of the care and judging of animals at a county fair, as told by a young 4-H'er showing her pig and the family's horse. Nice photographs and a great deal of text. Provensen, Alice, and Martin Provensen, The Year at Maple Hill Farm, Sagebrush, 2001. (K-3) In January, the cows stay in the barnyard, and the chickens don't lay many eggs. By March, you can tell spring is coming: the barn is filled with baby animals. Month by month, the animals at Maple Hill Farm sense the changing seasons and respond to the changes. Schindel, John, Busy Barnyard, Tricycle, 2006. (PreK) More animals mean more action in this busy barnyard. A mixed bag of photos showing children's favorite squawking, chomping and flapping creatures. The author raised some chickens of his own to capture the birds at their busiest. Simpson, Kathleen, Genetics: From DNA to Designer Dogs, National Geographic, 2008. (Grades 4-6) Simpson begins with an ancient mystery: An Egyptian mummy is found who may or may not be the long-missing pharoah Hatshepsut, but only DNA testing can prove if she was related to other Egyptian royalty. These archaeological adventures are paired with study of the heredity of pea plants done by Gregor Mendel in the 1800s. Nonfiction Books About Beef Cattle and Calves Cows in Fiction and Fantasy Patrick, Jean LS, and Alvis Upitis, Cows, Cats and Kids: A Veterinarian's Family at Work, Boyd's Mills, 2003. (Grades 4-6) During the day and a half covered in this photo-essay, Shea helps her father "pull" a calf (assist a cow with a difficult birth), and Kendall spends a morning with him vaccinating calves. Later in the day, Catherine assists with spaying a cat and removing the dewclaws from some puppies. The author explains and clarifies these unfamiliar procedures without losing the flow of the narrative. The full-color photographs complement and complete the story. Peterson, Cris, Amazing Grazing, Boyd Mills, 2002. (Grades 3-5) Using the stories of three Montana ranchers, the book's main focus is rangeland grazing, the love ranchers have for their land, and their efforts to preserve and enhance the environment. Pukite, John, A Field Guide to Cows, Scholastic, 1998. John Pukite provides all the facts so even the novice can identify and get to know America’s 52 breeds of cattle. Every entry in this entertaining yet completely usable book features an illustration that highlights each breed’s most easily identifiable traits, such as coloration pattern and body shape. The book includes a checklist of breeds, a glossary of terms, a listing of breeder associations, and more. Fascinating cow trivia is interspersed throughout. Van Fleet, Matthew, Moo, Simon & Schuster, 2011. (Grades PreK) Interactive board book identifies farm animals using simple, playful rhymes. Textures, flaps and pop-ups make the book interactive. Wolfman, Judy, and David Lorenz Winston, Life on a Cattle Farm, Lerner, 2002. (Grades K-4) This series entry introduces Adam Smith, who lives on a small beef cattle farm in Pennsylvania, and the narrative presents easy-to-understand information about raising these animals. The facts are general to all cattle breeds, although the Smiths raise 50 polled Herefords. Most of the animals are sold, so the concentration is on raising healthy breeding cattle. The descriptions of breeding, birth, vaccination, and castration are briefly explained for young readers. The simplicity will be appreciated by city children, while rural children may find it too limited. One detail is not quite correct. After cleaning out the barn, readers are told that "hay" was spread on the floor as bedding. Straw is usually used for bedding, and hay is used as feed. Sharp, clear, full-color photos appear on every page. Nonfiction Books About Bison Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane, and Lawrence Migdale, Buffalo Days, Holiday House, 1997. (Grades 4-6) Portrait of a young Crow Indian boy - Clarence Three Irons, Jr., a.k.a. Indian - living in Lodge Grass, Montana. Indian's father raises cattle and horses, and manages the Crow buffalo herd. The buffalo has always been a critical element in Crow culture and the herd's return from near- extinction is an important link for the Crow with their past. The ways in which the Crow have preserved and extended their cultural heritage is Hoyt-Goldsmith's focus, including the annual round-up reflecting the grand buffalo days - the fair and rodeo offering a chance to build and camp in tipis, don ceremonial garb, and attend to sacred dances. Robbins, Ken, Thunder on the Plains: The Story of the American Buffalo, Atheneum, 2009. (Grades 4-6) Robbins briefly traces the history of the American buffalo from 1875, when there were perhaps 50 million of them, to the present, in which laws protect the surviving 200,000. "This is the story of a great shaggy creature, a very American beast, one found here and nowhere else," he begins. Robbins supplements the text with dramatic images, including his own photographs of present-day buffalo grazing in Oklahoma. Nonfiction Books About Dairy Cows Cows in Fiction and Fantasy Aliki, Milk: From Cow to Carton, Econo-Clad, 1999. (Grades PreK - 3) Aliki takes readers on a guided tour that begins with grazing cows, proceeds through milking and a trip to the dairy, and ends with some different foods made from milk. Alphin, Elaine Marie, and Elaine Verstraete, Germ Hunter: A Story About Louis Pasteur (Creative Minds Biography), Carolrhoda, 2003. (Grades 4-6) Novel-like biography recounts Pasteur's life from his childhood as a tanner's son to his discovery that germs are the cause of many kinds of illnesses. Birmingham, Christian, The Fight Against Microbes: Pasteur's Story (Science Stories), Matthew Price, 2006. (Grades 4-6) Llewellyn, Claire, Milk: What's for Lunch, Franklin Watts, 2003. (Grades 1-3) Coloful, high-quality photos complement the text and help tell the story. The book accurately depicts modern dairy production and processing. Murphy, Andy, Out and About at the Dairy Farm, Picture Window, 2004. (Grades K-5) Introduces calves, heifers and milkers with full-color illustrations and fact-filled text. Includes a topic-related activity, an index, a vocabulary list and fun facts. Older, Jules, and Lyn Severance, Cow, Charlesbridge, 1998. Ever wondered why an ice-cream sundae isn't called an ice-cream Thursday? Having trouble telling a Jersey from a Holstein? Confused about the difference between a cow and a bull? COW has the answers and much, much more. Peterson, Cris, Clarabelle: Making Milk and So Much More, Boyds Mills, 2007. (Grades PreK-2) Clarabelle represents the average dairy cow in a modern dairy operation. The images depict a free stall cattle operation, a modern milking parlor, bulk tanks holding milk and the total feeding operation. Separate images identify the various components of Clarabelle's complete dairy ration. Includes a glossary. Pukite, John, A Field Guide to Cows, Scholastic, 1998. John Pukite provides all the facts so even the novice can identify and get to know America’s 52 breeds of cattle. Every entry in this entertaining yet completely usable book features an illustration that highlights each breed’s most easily identifiable traits, such as coloration pattern and body shape. The book includes a checklist of breeds, a glossary of terms, a listing of breeder associations, and more. Fascinating cow trivia is interspersed throughout. Ray, Hannah, Cows (Down on the Farm), Crabtree, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) Stone, Lynn M., Cows Have Calves, Compass Point, 2001. (Grades PreK-2) Basics of how dairy calves arrive, what newborn calves do, what they look like and what happens as they grow older. The real-life photographs help simplify complex concepts. Taus-Bolstad, Stacy, From Grass to Milk, Lerner, 2004. (Grades 3-5) Simple sentences describe the process from cow to milking and processing. All the images are of modern farm equipment and modern processing operations. Includes a short glossary. Nonfiction Books About Goats Green, Emily, Farm Animals: Goats, Bellweather, 2007. (Grades K-2) Early reader provides very basic information about goats. Includes a glossary. Miller, Sarah Swan, Goats (True Books: Animals), Children's, 2001. (Grades 3-6) Includes sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations and internet sites. Ray, Hannah, Goats (Down on the Farm), Crabtree, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) Wolfman, Judy, and David Lorenz Winston, Life on a Goat Farm, Lerner, 2002. (Grades K-4) An accurate and interesting view of modern rural life. Written in the voice of a young goat farmer, the narrative begins with descriptions and characteristics of six dairy goat breeds in the U.S. The following pages explain breeding; birthing; and care of the kids, including vaccinations, vitamins, dehorning, weaning, and feeding. Other chapters cover milking, and the responsibilities of the farm family-hard work 365 days a year. In closing, Jimmy talks about the activities that he and his brothers enjoy. As for his future, he "might be a goat farmer-or a math teacher or maybe even a veterinarian." Clear, full-color photographs of the Search family and their animals fill the pages. Short captions provide additional information and explanation. Nonfiction Books About Horses Horses in Fantasy and Fiction Bowers, Nathan, and Katie Bowers Reiff, 4-H Guide to Training Horses, Voyageur, 2001. (Grades 6 and up) Basic training techniques and riding skills such as mounting, saddling, reining, stopping and starting. Strong emphasis on safety and common sense. Clutton-Brock, Juliet, Eyewitness: Horse, DK, 2000. (Grades 3-6) Each double-page spread contains a brief theme paragraph that describes the topic, along with captioned photos of horses, reproductions of the animal found in art and artifacts, and related equestrian gear. Subjects include history, anatomy, physiology, breeds, colors, and uses of horses, asses, mules, and zebras. Easton, Patricia Harrison, and Herb Ferguson, A Week at the Fair: A County Celebration, Millbrook, 1995. (Grades 3-6) Detailed account of the care and judging of animals at a county fair, as told by a young 4-H'er showing her pig and the family's horse. Nice photographs and a great deal of text. Gibbons, Gail, Horses, Holiday House, 2003. (Grades K-3) A historical overview of Eohippus' evolution and horse appearance, disappearance and reappearance on the North American continent introduces the book. Discussion of the three basic horse sizes, characteristics and terminology (withers, hands, flank, quarters, fetlock), a double page spread about horse feet and horseshoes, followed by a discussion of gait, teeth, and habits suits the curious as well as report writers. Birth of a foal and its growth into a yearling is also covered. Throughout the full color illustrations, Gibbons uses various breeds of horse to discuss general characteristics and labels the breed so that young readers can learn names or ignore them in pursuit of generalities. A table of some well-known purebred horses and another of entertainment events horses typically appear in round out the information. Gruber, Beth, Horse Sense (Pet's Point of View), Compass Point, 2004. (Grades 3-6) Overview of the horse, its evolution, relatives, anatomy, gaits, care, equipment and history. Includes fun facts, record breakers, a timeline, superstars and glossary. Kalman, Bobbie, and Heather Levigne, What is a Horse? (The Science of Living Things), Crabtree, 2001. (Grades 3-6) Lauber, Patricia, The True or False Book of Horses, HarperCollins, 2000. (Grades K-3) Discover what's fact and what's fiction about horses with this introduction to the history, anatomy, and behavior of an animal that changed human history. McCully, Emily, Wonder Horse: The True Story of the World's Smartest Horse, Henry Holt & Co., 2010. (Grades PreK-2) Bill Key, born a slave, overcame many obstacles to become a veterinarian and a business man. Key's horse, Jim, is eventually recognized as the world's smartest horse and accompanied Key in his work with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Milbourne, Anne, Horses and Ponies, Usborne, 2004. (Grades 1-3) This 32-page book provides information about horses and ponies physically and behaviorally. The text is accompanied by both photographs and illustrations to depict specific topics and traits. Includes a glossary. Monahan, Erin, Caring for Your Horse, Capstone, 2008. (Grades 3-5) The book covers where horses need to live, supplies needed for horses, veterinary care, brushing and groom, stall cleaning, hoof cleaning, hoof trimming and horse behavior. Includes a glossary. Nelson, Robin, From Horse to Foal, Lerner, 2002. (Grades PreK-3) The book features excellent photographs, including several of a newborn foal. Includes a glossary. Pitts, Zachary, The Pebble First Guide to Horses, Pebble, 2008. (Grades 2-8) Thirteen breeds of horses commonly found in the US are identified in a photograph and then information is provided about height, weight, colors, origin, uses and facts. Includes a glossary. Wolfman, Judy, and David Lorenz Winston, Life on a Horse Farm, Lerner, 2002. (Grades K-4) This attractive book is narrated by Sarah Mills, whose family raises racehorses. Her father manages Willow Tree Farm, overseeing the daily operations and the training of the colts, while Sarah, her brother, and mother help out with other tasks. After a brief introduction, Wolfman's matter-of-fact text explains that the farm stables mares for clients and breeds them with the hope of producing fine racehorses. A mare in heat, breeding, and birth are discussed in a straightforward manner, but without much detail. Weaning, daily care, training, and gelding are also covered. Most of the full-color photographs are of high quality (a couple are a bit grainy) and their captions add interest and information. The format is inviting. The book concludes with a page of fun facts. Reminiscent of earlier Cheryl Bellville titles, this one is sure to be enjoyed by horse lovers. Nonfiction Books About Fish Love, Ann, Drake, Jane and Pat Cupples, America at Work: Fishing, Kids Can, 2001. (Grades 1-5) Fish farming, research, fish hatcheries, fish stocking of streams and lakes, methods developed to enable fish to move around hydro-electric dams and the use of fish as food, fertilizer and feed. Nonfiction Books About Poultry Poultry in Fiction and Fantasy Arnosky, Jim, All About Turkeys, Scholastic, 2008. (Grades 2-4) Information-packed book details the life and habits of the wild turkey, including what it eats, how it raises its young and where it is found. Inserts of text and pictures provide detail on each topic. Arnosky, Jim, I'm a Turkey!, Scholastic, 2009. (Grades PreK-3) Humorous song, filled with factual information about turkeys. Balkwill, Frances R., and Mic Rolph, Have a Nice DNA (Enjoy Your Cells, 3), Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory, 2002. (Grades 4-6) Simple but scientifically accurate commentary and exuberantly colorful graphics take young readers on an entertaining exploration of DNA. Burton, Robert, Egg, a Photographic Story of Hatching, Econoclad, 2001. (Grades K-3) More than five hundred full-color, life-size, sequential photographs, with captions and text, explain the story of bird, reptile, insect, fish, and amphibian development, from the initial signs of growth through the struggle to hatch. Gibbons, Gail, Chicks and Chickens, Holiday House, 2000. (Grades K-3) Diagrams, definitions of such words as flock, breed, rooster, and gizzard, and close-up views help viewers and readers understand more about raising chickens. Gibbons informs readers that a chicken can lay unfertilized eggs as well as fertilized, shows the development of chicks within the shell, and indicates how some chicks are raised under artificial conditions. A double-page spread shows different breeds, cutaways show the function of a gizzard, and the development of an egg within a hen. While the book is more complex than many preschoolers and kindergartners are used to, it suits perfectly those farm units where children's questions can be easily answered. Harvard, Christian, Face to Face With the Chicken, Charlesbridge, 2003. (Grades 3-5) Information about such things as pecking order, predators, chick hatching and more. Kindschi, Tara, 4-H Guide to Raising Chickens, Voyageur, 2010. (Grade 5 and up) Eight chapters divide the text into broad topics such as getting started, coosing a breed, housing equipment, etc. Line drawings and charts provide additional information, and at least one photo appears on almost every page. Ling, Mary, See How They Grow: Duck , DK, 2001. The duck narrates her story from birth to one and a half or two years of age, when they give birth. Clear, candid full-color photos of the animals are very expressive. All are placed on a white background, creating a spacious, uncluttered effect. Each spread has a brief chapter heading and is decorated with miniature drawings at the top and bottom. The text, which totals five to seven sentences per chapter, is strategically placed beside the appropriate pictures. The amount of information is limited, but in terms of eye appeal and ease of understanding for those youngsters who are just beginning to experience the thrill of reading independently, these titles are an overwhelming success. Ray, Hannah, Chickens (Down on the Farm), Crabtree, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) Ray, Hannah, Ducks (Down on the Farm), Crabtree, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) Seeger, Laura Vaccaro, First the Egg, Roaring Brook, 2007. (Grades PreK-2) The book opens with an egg cutout, which, with a page turn, becomes a plump yellow chick; tadpole morphs into frog; seed grows into flower. A daub of pigment similarly evolves into a painted landscape incorporating chicken, frog and flower. Seeger’s final pages bring us full circle: the chicken returns to its nest and lays “the egg!” Sklansky, Amy E., and Pam Paparone, Where Do Chicks Come From? Collins, 2005. (Grades PreK-3) Excellent illustrations of the egg-laying anatomy of the hen, structure of the egg and embroy to chick development process and hatching process. Discusses which eggs are fertile and why and explains that the eggs children eat for breakfast are not fertile. Nonfiction Books About Sheep Sheep in Fiction and Fantasy Ballard, Carol, Grouping Materials: From Gold to Wool (Science Answers), Heinemann, 2003. (Grades 4-6) Students investigate the world of physical science and learn through experiments which materials are best to use in which situations and how important materials from plants and animals are to their daily activities. Gleason, Carrie, The Biography of Wool (How Did That Get Here?), Crabtree, 2007. (Grades 4-6) The story of one of the world's first fibers, shorn from sheep, carded into wool since as early as 1500 BC. Young readers will learn the introduction of mass manufactured clothing during the Industrial Revolution and how wool and textiles are produced today. Green, Emily, Farm Animals: Sheep, Bellweather, 2007. (Grades K-2) Early reader provides very basic information about sheep, including sheep shearing. Includes a glossary. Lyon, George Ella, Weaving the Rainbow, Atheneum/Richard Jackson, 2004. (Grades PreK-2) A young woman raises sheep, shears them, cards and spins the wool, dyes the yarn, and weaves it at a loom. Terms like "yearling," "skein," "warp," "weft," "shuttle," and "treadles" are understandable in context and bring richness to the text. Words and illustrations complement each other in evoking the essence of creating art and in portraying the lush countryside. In her skillfully composed watercolor artwork, Anderson directs readers' eyes and shows them what to focus on. The paintings, with their dose of impressionism, effectively depict textures, but they can also suggest steam or wind. The final spread reveals what the woman is weaving: a picture of her sheep in their pasture, to which an illustration on the dedication page alluded earlier. Nelson, Robin, From Sheep to Sweater: A Start to Finish Book, Lerner, 2003. (Grades PreK-2) Ray, Hannah, Sheep (Down on the Farm), Crabtree, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) Stone, Lynn M., Sheep Have Lambs, Compass Point, 2001. (Grades PreK-2) Storey, Rita, Wool and Cotton (How We Use Materials), Smart Apple, 2007. (Grades 4-6) Nonfiction Books About Swine Pigs in Fiction and Fantasy Gibbons, Gail, Pigs, Holiday House, 2003. (Grades K-3) Basic characteristics, common breeds, intelligence, behavior, life cycle, and uses of pigs are presented in a colorful and readable format. Topics include the history of the domestication of the pig, the use of pigs to locate truffles, the birth and growth of pigs, and the uses of pigs for food and leather. Gibbons also debunks common myths about pigs: "Many people think pigs are smelly and dirty. They think pigs 'eat like pigs' and aren't very smart. That's because they don't know pigs!" We learn that there are about 300 breeds of pigs, that pigs are very smart, have good hearing, poor eyesight, beautiful, long eyelashes, and can run as fast as 30 miles per hour. Older, Jules, and Lyn Severance, Pig, Charlesbridge, 2004. Information ranges from number of pigs in the world and different breeds to fun trivia. Older's text is humorous and material is often presented in the form of a question. Bright, cheery illustrations depict pigs on farms in Indiana, in bamboo forests in China, and even, in the case of the Vietnamese Potbelly, on a boy's lap in a family home. Quirky drawings show a pig on a motorcycle (or a pig on a Hog) and one in Denmark reading stories by Hans Christian Andersen. The artist includes illustrated maps of the regions of the world where these animals live. Pukite, John, A Field Guide to Pigs, Globe Pequot, 1999. Easy-to-understand descriptions and illustrations of more than 30 breeds of pigs. The field guide also includes a time line of pig history, a list of famous and remarkable pigs, pig quotes, and much, much more. Ray, Hannah, Pigs (Down on the Farm), Crabtree, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) Wolfman, Judy, and David Lorenz Winston, Life on a Pig Farm, Lerner, 2002. (Grades K-4) Alisha, the oldest of three sisters who live on Maple Lane Farm, narrates this photo-essay about the day-to-day activities involved in raising pigs. The events surrounding the birth of a litter of pigs is the highlight, with lots of great pictures of the newborn and a careful description of how the babies are cared for in the moments and weeks after birth. Most of the remaining text follows the girls as they do the chores associated with raising pigs. Color photographs capture the spirit and dedication of the three youngsters, whose hard work and willingness to accept responsibility will gain the admiration of readers. Because the family's involvement in pig farming began as a 4-H project for Alisha, Wolfman concludes with a page of information on 4-H.   Farm Animals in Fantasy and Fiction Farm Animals / Cows / Goats / Horses / Poultry / Sheep / Swine Farm Animals in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Farm Animals Cronin, Doreen, and Betsy Lewin, Giggle, Giggle, Quack, Simon and Schuster, 2002. (Grades pre-K-3) Farmer Brown goes on vacation, leaving his brother Bob handwritten instructions on how to care for the animals. The trouble is that Duck intervenes. He has a pencil in his beak, so the messages instruct Bob to order in pizza for the animals, wash the pigs in a bubble bath, and rent the movie "The Sound of Moosic." Eventually, poor Bob runs away. Lewin's big illustrations with thick black outlines do a great job of showing close-up cows and pigs happily lolling on the sofa, splashing in the bathroom, and making themselves right at home. Ehlert, Lois, Color Farm, Harpercollins, 1997. (Preschool) Using vibrant colors and die-cuts this book creates the visages of various farm animals. The book appeals to babies and young toddlers and introduces them to various shapes and colors. Fleming, Denise, Barnyard Banter, Henry Holt, 2001. (Preschool) Roosters, cows, crows, hens, kittens, etc., noisly go about their barnyard business except for Goose, who silently flits through each scene chasing an elusive butterfly. She finally makes herself heard on the last double-page spread. Strong rhythm and rhyme, plus fun onomatopoeic animal sounds, demand reading aloud. The llustrations were created by pouring cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils. They create realistically textured, bold, bright settings for the whimsical critters to romp through. Lavis, Steve, Cock a Doodle Doo: A Farmyard Counting Book, Ragged Bears, 2001. (Preschool) One rooster crows to wake everyone up, then two horses neigh, and others join in until the farm is filled with squeaks, moos, clucks and more from ten different kinds of animals. Marino, Gianna, One Too Many: A Seek & Find Counting Book, Chronicle, 2001. (Grades PreK-2) In this nearly wordless book, one flea leaves a silver arc as it leaps to the watering trough in an empty barnyard at sunrise. Then two cows drink as the flea leaps twice. As the day progresses, each full-color spread shows more animals gathering at the watering trough, interacting with each other and shifting positions with puzzle-like complexity. O'Malley, Kevin, Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share, Walker Books for Young Readers, 2007. (Grades PreK-2) Corny one-liners drive this slapstick fantasy, as two featherbrained hens cross the road to follow their dreams. Seeger, Laura Vacarro, and Pete Seeger, I Had a Rooster: A Traditional Folk Song, Viking, 2001. (PreK) This song in book form introduces new creatures on successively smaller pages, while cumulative lines from previously printed verses show through below. The melody line is included. Sloat, Teri, and Nadine Bernard Westcott, Farmer Brown Goes Round and Round, DK, 2001. (Grades K-2) A twister strikes Farmer Brown's farm and mixes the animals all up, so that the cows oinked, sheep clucked, hens brayed, and his hound neighed. Williams, Linda, Horse in the Pigpen, HarperCollins, 2002. (Grades K-3) Something very strange is happening on this little farm. None of the animals are where they belong! The only person who can sort it all out is Ma -- but Ma is terribly busy. What will the animals and one puzzled little girl do if Ma never has time to get everything back the way it's supposed to be? Cows in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Cattle and Calves Nonfiction Books About Dairy Cattle Cronin, Doreen, and Betsy Lewin, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, Little Simon, 2011. (Grades K-3) The cows on Farmer Brown's farm have discovered a typewriter. Soon, they're leaving notes for him demanding blankets to keep warm. But when he refuses to give in, they go on strike. Can a solution be found to return the cows to work? Denslow, Sharon Phillips, and Lynne Rae Perkins, Georgie Lee, Greenwillow, 2002. (Grades 3-6) Georgie Lee is Grandma's cow, a smart cow, surprising J. D. with how cleverly she gets rid of pesky flies. She's good at escaping her pasture, ending up on Grandma's porch eating ears of fresh corn out of a bowl. And she's the ghost that startles Grandma and J.D. as they explore an abandoned house. But best of all, she's the reason elderly neighbor Effie is saved after a fall leaves her stranded in a field. Erickson, John R., Hank, the Cowdog: 20th Anniversary Edition, Puffin, 2003. (Grades 4-7) Hank the Cowdog, head of ranch security, is framed for the murder of a chicken and becomes an outlaw with the coyotes. French, Vivian, Oliver's Milk Shake, Orchard, 2001. (Grades PreK-3) Oliver is a picky eater, but his Aunt Jen is determined to change his ways. Oliver learns to like milk through a visit to the farm and Aunt Jen's yummy milk shakes. Hall, Donald, The Milkman's Boy, Walker, 1997. (K-4) Paul Graves is coming of age during a time when horses and carriages shared roads with Model Ts, and new technology changed old ways of doing things. His father calls the new invention of pasteurization nothing but a fad . . . until one day a fever strikes Paul's sister, and his family learns a hard lesson about the need to balance change and tradition. Laden, Nina, When Pigasso Met Mootisse, Chronicle, 1998. (Grades 2-4) Pigasso, a talented pig, and Mootisse, an artistic bull, live across the road from one another, but when conflicts arise they build fences that ultimately become modern art masterpieces. Includes biographies of the real-life artists, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Simmons, Lynn Sheffield, Sugar Lump, The Orphan Calf, Pelican, 2003. (Grades 3-6) This story features a newborn calf found lying alone in the pasture by a twelve-year-old girl, Marcy. Without any hesitation she takes on the responsibility of raising the calf she names Sugar Lump. As the calf grows, Sugar Lump and Marcy experience many adventures and form a unique bond. Townsend, Una Belle, Bob Artley and Yolanda Powell, Grady's in the Silo, Pelican, 2003. (K-3) Based on the true story of Grady, the silo cow from Yukon, OK. Activities for use with Grady's in the Silo. The book's author is Una Belle Townsend, and teacher and school librarian from El Reno. Wheeler, Lisa, and Ponder Goembel, Sailor Moo: Cow at Sea, Atheneum, 2002. (Grades PreK-2) Compelled to follow her dreams, dairy cow Moo leaves behind the farm's fields of waving wheat for the rollicking waves of the ocean. A stint as galley cook to the feline crew of the Cat's Meow is cut short by a storm that tosses Moo "into the brew" where she is quickly rescued by a pair of her cousins, the sea cows, and escorted to a cattle barge. But the gang with studded ears on board turns out to be a bunch of "looting steers cow buccaneers." Luckily Moo wins the heart of captain Red Angus and encourages him to abandon his pirate ways for married life on the Jersey shore. Goats in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Goats Bregoli, Jane, The Goat Lady, Tilbury, 2004. (Grades 4-6) Based on a true story about an elderly French Canadian named Noelle who drew criticism from the people in her town because she kept a herd of white goats in her yard. The author and her children befriend the woman, and the author paints a series of portraits of her, which end up in a local art museum. The story is told from the point of view of one of the children and is ideal for reading aloud. A winner of the Aspca Henry Bergh Children's Award. McBrier, Page, Beatrice's Goat, Aladdin, 2004. (Grades PreK-3) An impoverished Ugandan family begins to flourish after receiving a goat from Heifer International, a nonprofit group working to end global hunger by providing livestock to people in need. As the months pass, the animal provides the family with milk to enjoy and sell and with a pair of kids to sell. With the goat's bounty, the family soon has enough money to send Beatrice to school. (Story inspired by actual events.) Ottolenghi, Carol, The Three Billy Goats Gruff / Los Tres Chivitos, Brighter Child, 2009. (Grades PreK-3) Singer, Isaac Bashevis, and Maurice Sendak, Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories, Harper Collins, 2001. (Grades 4-6) Reprint of Newberry Honor Book. The stories reflect the traditions, heroes and villains of middle European folklore. Horses in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Horses Carle, Eric, The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, Philomel, 2011. (Grades PreK-3) Every child has an artist inside, and this picture book will help let it out. The artist in the book paints the world as he sees it, just like a child. Filled with some of the most colorful animals of Eric Carle's career. Friedrich, Elizabeth, and Michael Garland, Leah's Pony, Boyds Mills, 1999. (Grades K-3) Amid the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, Leah's father is faced with the loss of the family farm and puts his farm and equipment up for auction, but Leah comes up with the money by selling her beloved pony. Goble, Paul, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, Atheneum, 2001. (K-2) For most people, being swept away in a horse stampede during a raging thunderstorm would be a terrifying disaster. For the young Native American girl in Paul Gobl''s 1979 Caldecott-winning masterpiece, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, it is a blessing. Although she loves her people, this girl has a much deeper, almost sacred, connection to her equine friends. The storm gives her the opportunity to fulfill her dream -to live in a beautiful land among the wild horses she loves. With brilliant, stylized illustrations and simple text, Paul Goble tells the story of a young woman who follows her heart and the family that respects and accepts her uniqueness. Gregory, Kristiana, The Legend of Jimmy Spoon, Graphia, 2002. (Grades 4-7). Twelve-year-old Jimmy Spoon yearns for a life of adventure. So when two Shoshoni boys offer him a horse, Jimmy sneaks away from his family in Salt Lake City to follow the boys. When Jimmy arrives at the Shoshoni camp, he discovers that he is expected to stay - as a member of the tribe. Inspired by the memoirs of a white man who actually lived with Chief Washakie's tribe as a boy in the mid-1800s, The Legend of Jimmy Spoon is a compelling coming-of-age adventure. Isaacs, Anne, and Paul Zelinsky, Dust Devil, Schwartz and Wade, 2010. (Grades PreK-2) Angelica Longrider, the "wildest wildcat in Tennessee" and larger than life moves to the open spaces of Montana where she finds a fine, feisty steed to be her sidekick. Poultry in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Poultry Brett, Jan, Daisy Comes Home, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2002, G.P. Putnam's Sons. Mei-Mei had the six happiest hens in China. She gave them treats and fresh hay baths, and when she called to them-gu gu gu gu gu!-they all ran to her as fast as they could. But one of the hens, Daisy, was not always so happy. The other hens picked on Daisy and pushed her off the perch every night. Then one day, Daisy is accidentally washed out onto the river in a basket and she soon learns to stand up for herself. When she finds her way home, this plucky little hen is no longer afraid as she bravely takes her place on the roost. Cox, Phil Roxbee, Cartwright, Steven, and Jenny Tyler, Goose on the Loose, EDC, 2001. (preschool) Words with the same phonetic pattern woven into an engaging story. Cox, Phil Roxbee, Cartwright, Steven, and Jenny Tyler, Hen's Pens, EDC, 2002. (preschool) Words with the same phonetic pattern woven into an engaging story. Cronin, Doreen, and Kevin Cornell, The Trouble With Chickens, Balzer and Bray, 2011. (Grades 2-4) J.J. Tully, a former search-and-rescue dog, is hired by a mama chick named Mildred, who wants him to find two of her brood that have gone missing. Ernst, Usa Campbell, Zinnia and Dot, Viking/Penguin, 1992. (Grades PreK-2) Zinnia and Dot, two hens who live alone in an old chicken coop, spend their time fighting about whose eggs are the most beautiful and perfect. One day a weasel steals all their eggs except for one. They agree to share the egg until it is hatched, but still hate each other. When the weasel returns again, they finally put aside their quarrels and fight him off together. This common victory is the starting point for their friendship, and when the baby chick is hatched, it grows up with two mother hens. Freedman, Deborah, Blue Chicken, Viking, 2011. (Grades PreK-2) All this chicken wants to do is help. But when she spills a pot of blue paint, the other animals don't find her helpful. And things only get worse - and more blue - the harder she tries. Playing with colors and perspective, and using minimal text, the author refuses to stay within the lines. Galdone, Paul, Nursery Classics: A Galdone Treasury, Houghton Mifflin, 2004. (Grades K-3) Includes Galdone's classic versions of The Three Little Pigs, The Little Red Hen, The Three Bears and The Cat Goes Fiddle Dee Dee. Grindley, Sally, and Jill Newton, Where Are My Chicks? Phyllis Fogelman, 2002. (Preschool) Where are the chicks? Mother Hen doesn't know, but all the animals in the farmyard have offered to help her look for them. Young children will enjoy learning their numbers as they help find and count the chicks in this counting book. Sally Grindley's simple text has a clever surprise ending, and the bold acrylic illustrations by Jill Newton are full of many adorable animals-especially the fluffy yellow chicks who bounce across the page to be reunited with their mother, at last! Murphy, Patti Beling, Elinor and Violet: The Story of Two Naughty Chickens, Little Brown, 2001. (Grades K-3) When Elinor, who is sometimes just a little naughty, makes friends with Violet, who is much naughtier, Elinor almost spoils the visit of her favorite aunt. O'Malley, Kevin, Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share, Walker Books for Young Readers, 2007. (Grades PreK-2) Corny one-liners drive this slapstick fantasy, as two featherbrained hens cross the road to follow their dreams. Simmons, Jane, Daisy and the Beastie, 2000. (Grades K-2) In search of the "beastie" in their grandfather's story, Daisy (the duckling) and her little brother Pip waddle among the farm and meadow animals. As each animal responds to them, Pip, like any young child, imitates their sounds, mooing or honking. Creeping into a dark shed, the ducklings are alarmed by a frightening sound and scram for their lives. The "beasties" emerge from the darkness, but they're only kittens. Stevens, Janet, Cock-A-Doodle-Doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo, Tiger Tales, 2004. (Grades PreK-2) A rooster and his eager assistants set out to make strawberry shortcake. Teaches basic cooking skills and helps build vocabulary. Stone, Tanya Lee, and Gerald Kelley, T is for Turkey: A True Thanksgiving Story, Price Stern Sloam, 2009. (Grades PreK-2) The elementary school puts on a play that tells the story of the first Thanksgiving. Rhyming couplets that flow through the alphabet help kids celebrate everything from harvest to Pilgrims to turkey. White, Linda, and Megan Lloyd, Too Many Turkeys, Holiday House, 2011. (Grades 1-3) After a little lost turkey wanders onto Belle and Fred's farm, Belle's garden becomes the most beautiful one in the neighborhood. Everyone wants to know her secret, but Belle won't tell. Then, while she is out of town, another turkey comes to roost on the farm - and then another and another, until the whole farm is overrun. Fred is at his wit's end when his neighbor Sheep in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Sheep Cox, Phil Roxbee, Cartwright, Steven, and Jenny Tyler, Sam Sheep Can't Sleep: A Phonics Flap Book, EDC, 2002. (preschool) Words with the same phonetic pattern woven into an engaging story. Millen, CM, and Mary Azarian, A Symphony for the Sheep, BookPartners, LLC, 2011. A celebration of the sheep of Ireland and the shearing, spinning, weaving and knitting of their wool. Paulsen, Gary, The Haymeadow, Doubleday, 1992. (Young Adult) Fourteen-year-old John comes of age and gains self-reliance during the summer he spends up in the Wyoming mountains tending his father's herd of sheep. Scotton, Rob, Russell the Sheep, Harper Collins, 2005. (PreK-2) Russell can't sleep. While the other sheep are dozing off, he ponders the problem of insomnia. When nothing works, he tries counting things. He starts with his feet, and then moves on to the stars. Finally, he counts sheep. Russell nods off just as the new day dawns and the others awaken. Shaw, Nancy, Sheep in Jeep, Sandpiper, 2006. (Preschool) When five foolish sheep cram into one jeep, their high spirits and occasional lack of foresight (like forgetting to steer) combine to make a riotous, if ill-fated, road trip. Plummeting over a hill, tumbling into a mud puddle, yelping for help, these muttonheads just can't get their act together, much to the delight of young readers. Sloat, Teri, and Nadine Bernard Westcott, Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep, DK, 2000. (Grades K-2) The sheep want their fleece back and follow the wool through the process of spinning, dyeing and knitting. Farmer Brown knits the sheep sweaters in beautiful colors so that they are happy every year to produce more wool for him. Willems, Mo, Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep (Cat the Cat), Balzar and Bray, 2010. (Grades PreK-2) Cat's friends all appear midway through a familiar step in the process of getting ready for bed. Sheep is reading; Pig is in the tub; Giraffe is brushing her teeth, Horse is on the toilet, etc. As the animals drift off to sleep, Owl is left on a perch, watching over them. Swine in Fantasy and Fiction Nonfiction Books About Swine Black, Michael Ian, and Kevin Hawkes, A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea, Simon and Schuster Children's, 2010. (Grades PreK-3) A pig parade is not a great idea because these barnyard animals hate to march (preferring to snuffle), refuse to wear majorette uniforms, don't care about building floats and prefer sad country music to marching band music. Bold, full-solor illustrations provide witty details. Falconer, Ian, Olivia, Atheneum, 2000. (Preschool) Whether at home getting ready for the day, enjoying the beach, or at bedtime, Olivia is a feisty pig who has too much energy for her own good. Guarnaccia, Steven, The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale, Abrams, 2010. (Grades PreK-3) In this quirky, artsy retelling of "The Three Little Pigs," the pigs and their homes are nods to three famous architects - Frank Gehry, Phillip Johnson and Frank Lloyd Wright. Each house is filled with clever details. Which one will protect them from the Big, Bad, Wolf? Galdone, Paul, Nursery Classics: A Galdone Treasury, Houghton Mifflin, 2004. (Grades K-3) Includes Galdone's classic versions of "The Three Little Pigs," "The Little Red Hen," "The Three Bears" and "The Cat Goes Fiddle Dee Dee." Geisert, Arthur, Hogwash, Houghton-Mifflin for Children, 2008. (Grades PreK-2) All the little piggies have had lots of fun playing and now they are dirty and muddy. Anyone who has bee captivated by the swaying brushes and swinging jets of soap and water in a car wash will enjoy Geisert's illustrations of the enormous contraption as it lathers and scrubs a whole farm full of dirty little pigs. Kellogg, Steven, The Three Little Pigs, HarperTrophy, 2002. (Grades K-3) In this retelling of a well-known tale, Serafina Sow starts her own waffle-selling business in order to enable her three offspring to prepare for the future, which includes an encounter with a surly wolf. Laden, Nina, When Pigasso Met Mootisse, Chronicle, 1998. (Grades 2-4) Pigasso, a talented pig, and Mootisse, an artistic bull, live across the road from one another, but when conflicts arise they build fences that ultimately become modern art masterpieces. Includes biographies of the real-life artists, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Mansfield, Howard, and Barry Moser, Hogwood Steps Out: A Good, Good Pig Story, Roaring Book, 2008. (Preschool - Grade 2) After spending the winter in a cozy barn snuggling with the other barnyard animals, Hogwood is itching to get out and wallow in some good mud. Unfastening the gate is no challenge for him, so off he goes to a garden with fresh lettuce, only to be run off by the angry gardener. Next he tears up a lawn and gets chased off. Finally, he’s apprehended by a policeman. Back, cozily asleep in the barn, Hogwood dreams of the next crops that he’ll raid. Martin, Jacqueline Briggs, and Linda Wingerter, The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig, Houghton Mifflin, 2003. An orphan girl discovers that she shares her grandfather's gift for finding things when their very clever pig disappears. McPhail, David, Big Pig and Little Pig, Harcourt Brace, 2003. (Preschool - Grade 1) Short, simple story, fully illustrated, with familiar objects and situations, repetition, rhyme, and strong links between art and text. The big pig and the little pig are hot--the sun is shining and they want to cool off. They each decide to make a hole to fill with water. Big Pig uses a little shovel to dig his hole while Little Pig has a mechanical digger. The end result seems to suit each as one sits with his big fanny in what looks like a puddle, while the other cavorts in his large swimming hole. Rosenthal, Amy Krouse, Little Oink, Chronicle, 2005. (Preschool-Grade 2) All Little Oink wants is to be tidy. He digs for truffles with a spade and brings knife, fork and bib to the trough. “All my friends get to clean their rooms,” he whines to his parents. “Why can’t I?” Little Oink tries his best to mess up his room, to be a good pig, but his father remonstrates: “I still see toys in their bin, mister.” Sendak, Maurice, Bumble-ardy, HarperCollins, 2011. (Grades PreK-3) Bumble-ardy the pig had not celebrated his past eight birthdays with his family, but when his Aunt Adeline adopts him at age nine, he decides to throw himself a spectacular party. Simmons, Jane, Beryl: A Pig's Tale, Little, Brown, 2011. (Grades 2-5) Beryl escapes from a truck on its way to market and takes up with a wild pig and her relatives. She is soon ostracized from their wilderness community and sets out an a series of travels that lead her to a more accepting home. Explores serious themes pertinent to children today with a colorful cast of characters drawn with in vivid black and white. Steig, William, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Simon & Schuster, 2005. (Grades K-3) While hurrying home to show his parents a wish-granting pebble, Sylvester the donkey is startled by a hungry lion emerging from the bushes. Flustered, Sylvester wishes he were a rock, and is immediately transformed. A year later, Sylvester's grieving parents go for a picnic and choose the rock that is Sylvester as their table. Sylvester's father happens to find the magic pebble and places it on the table, just as Sylvester wishes he were himself again. With great joy, the family is reunited. Weisner, David, The Three Pigs, Clarion, 2001. (Preschool - Grade 3) What begins as a the classic tale of "The Three Pigs" evolves into a free-for-all when the Big Bad Wolf's efforts to blow down the straw house of Pig No. 1 have unexpected consequences -- Pig is blown right of the story! He ends up on the pages of the book, falling out of the frame and transformed into a three-dimensional character. This leaves Wolf completely bewildered. As he approaches Pig No. 2 and his house of twigs, he tries again. But Pig's brother arrives just in time, with news that there is safety outside the confines of the storybook pages. The brothers exit, and Wolf is once again befuddled. When the pigs reach their other brother in the brick house, the three of them decide it's time to get away from Wolf for good. They pummel the storybook frames until they are completely flat -- and then they make an airplane! After a bit of soaring, they crash-land. Finally, they realize that they're being watched. The Three Pigs then jump into the pages of other rhymes, meeting up with a very friendly dragon and a sweet cat. At this point, the entire crew join forces and decide to teach Wolf a lesson. Back to Ag-Related Books for Children and Young Adults Recommend a book. Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom is a program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Oklahoma State Department of Education.