Early Readers: I like the farm by Shelley Rotner

I don't always care for the illustrators chosen for the I like to Read series, but I absolutely get behind using Rotner's photography. I consider her somewhat of a modern Tana Hoban (whose books I had to weed due to lack of circulation and general condition).

Each page features a different farm animal and many also show kids. There are cats, cows, dogs, pigs, and chickens. There's also a picture of a tractor and farmyard at the end of the story. What I absolutely loved about this is that it showcases a wide range of diverse kids! Boys, girls, dark and light skin, Hispanic, African-American, and Indian. It's so rare to see kids of color shown in books about rural life.

This is a level A, the most basic and easy of early readers, similar to the rather blah BOB books. The text is simple variations on the title, such as "I like the piglet." Truly emergent early readers are hard to find and this is an excellent one.

Verdict: Farm animals, an emergent reading level, and a diverse cast of real kids. Highly recommended for all library collections

ISBN: 9780823438334; Published 2017 by Holiday House; F&G provided at ALA 2017; Purchased for the library

Revisited: Originally reviewed in 2017. This continues to circ regularly at my library and is due for a replacement soon. It is available in paperback, hardcover, and prebound. If you missed it the first time around, it's worth purchasing now.