05/04/2020
This captivating, wry novel opens with the revelation that the longstanding antagonism between farmers and rabbits is rooted in vegetables, which “farmers love to grow, and rabbits love to eat.” After Alice, a curious rabbit kit, watches the Harvey family move into a deserted farmhouse, she and her brother sneak onto the property and overhear disconcerting news: a greedy developer is intent on buying the property from the Harveys, city folk determined to become farmers. As the young rabbits plant and tend to a thriving vegetable garden in hopes of helping the family make a go of it, the Harveys’ intuitive dog, Foxy, becomes their ally, at one point musing that properly running a farm is “a subject much too vital to leave to her humans.” Into this heartwarming portrait of animal camaraderie (which is shared by a fox, a bald eagle, and other wildlife), Wood (the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series) weaves the story of 10-year-old Carl Harvey’s rocky adjustment to his new life, burgeoning self-confidence and maturity, and paramount contribution to his family’s triumph. A resonant cross-species saga of perseverance, loyalty, and magnanimous friendship. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Sept.)
A 2021 National Council of Teachers of English Charlotte Huck Recommended Book
"Venturing, as the author readily acknowledges in her afterword, into Charlotte’s Web territory, Wood crafts a tale of interspecies cooperation in a rural setting that is lit up with exhibitions of uncommon courage, loyalty, humor, and tolerance—not to mention extreme cuteness. ... Worthy values aplenty." —Booklist, starred review
"Alice's Farm is a restorative read, tender and wonderful. It's a fantasy, it's real, it's just a joy. And absolutely a book for our times." —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medalist
“Captivating... A resonant cross-species saga of perseverance, loyalty, and magnanimous friendship.” —Publisher’s Weekly
"Quirky characters, whimsical adventures...a good read-aloud candidate for fans of Charlotte's Web." — School Library Journal
“Like the denizens of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, these characters—animal and human, predator and prey—are lovingly observed. They are a deeply engaging, mostly endearing bunch whose natures may put them at odds but who share a world. . . Stoutly non-speciesist, this is an effervescent delight.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Fans of Cynthia Voigt’s Young Fredle will feel right at home, and readers of Charlotte’s Web will delight in several sly echoes. An excellent choice for a family or classroom read-aloud." —The Horn Book Magazine
“A perfect family read-aloud. Maryrose Wood has done it again. Families will find much to love in this delightful tale about what it means to be a good neighbor, and what might happen if we looked at life from the other side of the clover patch. Highly recommended!” —Sarah Mackenzie, author of The Read-Aloud Family, founder and host of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast
05/08/2020
Gr 3–5—Farmers and rabbits have a great literary history as enemies, but what might they accomplish if they worked together? Wood offers a fanciful twist on Peter Rabbit, toggling between the rabbit world and the human world, tracking a pair of adventurous kits and a young family that has moved from Brooklyn to try their hands at farming. The pace is a bit slow and some of the jokes (about hipsters, primarily) may be better suited to an adult audience. That said, the focus on the natural world, quirky characters, and whimsical adventures make this a good read-aloud candidate for fans of Charlotte's Web or other gentle farm stories. VERDICT Not a first purchase, but a sweet option for those looking for a slower-paced animal story.—Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Lib., Portland, OR
Dion Graham is pure magic behind the microphone as he narrates this fun family-friendly story about Alice the rabbit and her furry companions. In an attempt to save their homes from "The Mauler"—a developer who wants to bulldoze their farm—Alice makes a deal with the other wild animals to grow a garden. Graham smoothly pivots as listeners follow the story’s two diverse families—the farmers and the animals. From babies, children, and adults to rabbits, dogs, weasels, and so many more, his velvety voice is nothing short of a vocal contortionist’s. Graham imbues each character with such passion and personality that listeners will cherish every second of this beautifully woven tale. E.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
2020-07-01
With the future of their valley home at stake, two brave young rabbits take up farming.
The farm’s newbie human owners include the Harvey parents, country enthusiasts newly liberated from office life; son Carl, 10, who misses Brooklyn; daughter Marie, 1; and the family’s shiba inu, Foxy. When an intimidating local developer drops by, hoping to pressure the naïve Harveys into selling, young Alice and her brother, Thistle, two rabbits, overhear the sales pitch. After Lester, a burrow elder who’s eaten his way through farm catalogs, tells them that development will destroy their valley, Alice hatches a plan to make the Harveys’ farm succeed. Challenges quickly mount. To obtain and plant seeds, weed, and keep hungry critters away from them when they sprout, Alice must incentivize interspecies cooperation. Recruits, wild and tame, are needed: a fox, bald eagle, chipmunks, voles, Foxy, baby Marie (an adept interspecies interpreter), and Carl, providing human cover for the rabbit farmers. The effort will eventually ensnare neighbors, ornithologists, and locavore chefs along with the editors of Hipster Farmer magazine. Like the denizens of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, these characters—animal and human, predator and prey—are lovingly observed. They are a deeply engaging, mostly endearing bunch whose natures may put them at odds but who share a world. Human characters follow a White default.
Stoutly non-speciesist, this is an effervescent delight. (author's note) (Animal fiction. 8-12)
