In this lyrical picture book about the importance of caring for our Earth, a child and her father wish for a brighter, greener future for the parched land around their home.
When a girl finds a horned toad among the rain-starved squash, tomatoes, and poblanos on her family's Texas farm, her Pa tells her that, if she kisses it on the head -- blech! -- she gets to make one wish. What will she wish for?
Generations ago, when the girl's ancestors lived on this land, it was lush and green -- full of life. Now, because of a decades-long drought, their soil is parched and their crops are dying.
The girl sees the worry lines on Pa's face getting deeper. She knows she has to do something to help. And so, thinking about the people who lived on this land before her, and all those who will live on it after her, she wishes for rain.
This poignant father-daughter story reminds us that, when it comes to healing our Earth, change often starts with a simple wish. With a dream for a world that could be.
★ "Kemp’s pensive, elegiac tale unpacks the hard-earned minutiae of a farming family’s everyday lives, as well as the encroaching consequences of human-fueled climate change, told from a young girl’s compelling, vivid perspective....Tender, expressive, and important." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A book that motivates young readers to learn more about tending the land, growing food, and the impact of human overdevelopment on the environment." —School Library Journal
"An illuminating, galvanizing choice, particularly for agricultural areas disrupted by climate change." —Booklist
In this lyrical picture book about the importance of caring for our Earth, a child and her father wish for a brighter, greener future for the parched land around their home.
When a girl finds a horned toad among the rain-starved squash, tomatoes, and poblanos on her family's Texas farm, her Pa tells her that, if she kisses it on the head -- blech! -- she gets to make one wish. What will she wish for?
Generations ago, when the girl's ancestors lived on this land, it was lush and green -- full of life. Now, because of a decades-long drought, their soil is parched and their crops are dying.
The girl sees the worry lines on Pa's face getting deeper. She knows she has to do something to help. And so, thinking about the people who lived on this land before her, and all those who will live on it after her, she wishes for rain.
This poignant father-daughter story reminds us that, when it comes to healing our Earth, change often starts with a simple wish. With a dream for a world that could be.
Praise
★ "Kemp’s pensive, elegiac tale unpacks the hard-earned minutiae of a farming family’s everyday lives, as well as the encroaching consequences of human-fueled climate change, told from a young girl’s compelling, vivid perspective....Tender, expressive, and important." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A book that motivates young readers to learn more about tending the land, growing food, and the impact of human overdevelopment on the environment." —School Library Journal
"An illuminating, galvanizing choice, particularly for agricultural areas disrupted by climate change." —Booklist
