Midnight Farm [Hardcover]

Carly Simon (Author), David Delamare (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

There's a farm that I know Unlike any other farm As the sun goes down The air gets warm And the birds wake up And the wildflowers bloom And the sheep jitterbug Under a round rolling moon. One hot summer night, two young boys wake from their sleep to the sound of hoots and howls--what's going on? Looking out their window, they discover that "the joint is jumping"! It may be time to sleep everywhere else, but on this Martha's Vineyard farm all the animals and vegetation come out for a nighttime celebration. The boys are invited to join in, as the midnight choir is about to begin. The tulip conductor tries to get down to work, but the rest of the crowd is going berserk! Canteloupes are laughing, and onions are doing a jig, while an old apple tree plays a driftwood guitar and the hogs chase the pigs. Eventually the morning arrives, though, and the fun is over for the night. But not for long...

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2. Simon's inventive nighttime fantasy is set in a rural area of Martha's Vineyard. Under a melon-sized moon, pajamaed twin brothers cavort with a choir-directing tulip, a guitar-strumming apple tree, a mandolin-playing mouse, jitterbugging sheep, and chattering flamingos, while on the sidelines jauntily dressed cows applaud in appreciation. For the most part, Simon's words trip easily off the tongue, but, at times, readers will need to adapt their pronunciation to make the rhyme work ("The queen bee looked so mean/when we ran we got tangled/in her wide crinoline"). Delamare's acrylic illustrations, while well drafted and filled with precise detail, have an enameled look that seems a shade too harsh for a nocturnal adventure. Irene Haas's fanciful and delicately rendered A Summertime Song (McElderry, 1997) offers a more dreamlike reverie; however, children liking a large dollop of wackiness in their fantasies will enjoy the fun this duo provides.?Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Late one summer night, twin boys wake to the sound of hoots and howls. Peering out their window they see a strange sight -- it may be time to sleep everywhere else, but on this Martha's Vineyard farm all of the animals and vegetables are just waking up and putting on thier clothes! A field mouse invites the boys to join in the midnight celebration, and they find themsleves caught up in a very different kind of nocturnal adventure.

Carly Simon's rollicking, rhythmic text is a delight to read aloud. Together with David Delamare's dreamlike illustrations it creates an imaginative fantasy that will capitivate readers.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1st edition (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068981237X
• ISBN-13: 978-0689812378
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,204,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Magical cadence, charming story, imaginative illustrations!, September 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Midnight Farm (Hardcover)

My young nephew absolutely loves anything that rhymes, and finding stories that do can be difficult.

In looking for books for my nephew, far too many preach and teach, instead of entertain and stimulate the imagination. This book was just right.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I want to go to Midnight Farm!, April 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Midnight Farm (Aladdin Picture Books) (Paperback)

Midnight Farm is an excellent story with wonderful illustrations. It is a whimsical tale about two little boys on a farm who wake one night to find their farm animals and crops rockin'. My two year old wants to read it every night because of the amusing rhythm, and I oblige, because even as an adult, I have yet to tire of the fantasy that everyday objects lead secret lives! The pictures are beautiful, with a mystical feel and tons of detail. You notice something new almost every read.

This book also has a sweet vulnerability that many of Carly's songs have which makes it very enduring. Overall, Midnight Farm is a great book that will appeal to several age groups. I wish it were more available- it would make a great gift book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cool, laid back rhyming fun!, July 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Midnight Farm (Hardcover)

Midnight Farm is a refreshing change from the stiff, contrived rhymes one usually comes in contact with. Simon's fresh, cool, musician-like freedom enables her to throw in words that would not normally be found in children's verse. Thoroughly enjoyable and imaginative, the accompanying illustrations fit exactly with the "lyrics."