Pickin' Peas [Hardcover]

Margaret Read MacDonald (Author), Pat Cummings (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Pickin peas. Land on my knees! sings a pesky rabbit as he merrily eats his way through the pea patch Little Girl has planted. But when Little Girl snatches him up and takes him home to put in a box until pea season is over, the rabbit is soon singing a new tune as he plans his escape. With a nod to Brer Rabbit, Pickin Peas is based on two folktales collected in Alabama and Virginia at the end of the last century. The lively storytelling voice of Margaret Read MacDonald, matched with Pat Cummingss bright, bold pictures, makes this funny battle-of-wits tale perfect to tell out loud, letting everyone share in the fun of chanting its rhymic refrain!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

MacDonald's (A Parent's Guide to Storytelling) slight retelling of a Southern folktale centers on an energetic African American girl and the rabbit she discovers helping himself to the peas in her garden. As the young gardener sings her way through the rows of pods ("Pickin' peas. Put 'em in my pail"), the crafty animal does the same ("Pickin' peas. Land on my knees!") until she realizes he is following her. Grabbing the intruder below the ears, the child takes him indoors and stuffs him into a small box, where she threatens to keep him "till pea-picking season is OVER." Before long, however, the critter outwits his captor and, in a rather anticlimactic ending, escapes to the outdoors, where he chants, "Gonna eat all I want/ 'Cause you can't catch me!" Cummings's (Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon!) brash, contemporary art seems at odds with the folksy quality of the tale (whose heroine is referred to only as "Little Girl"). Slim pickings here. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-A retelling of a folktale originally collected in Alabama at the turn of the century. Little Girl plants a garden, then harvests the peas in the summer, singing "Pickin' peas./Put 'em in my pail." Meanwhile, a pesky rabbit follows along behind her, eating the smaller peas that she'd left behind to grow some more. He croons, "Pickin' peas./Land on my knees." The girl, realizing she's not alone in the garden, discovers and catches the rabbit, putting him in a box "till pea-picking season is OVER." Not surprisingly, the wily animal tricks his captor into letting him go, and the next morning, he's back in the garden again. The folksy tone of the text and the contemporary illustrations, which depict an African-American girl in shorts, a tank top, and sunglasses, don't quite mesh. An author's note explaining the origins of this tale and offering storytelling tips as well as a tune for the song (invented by MacDonald) appear at the end.
Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (June 5, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006027235X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060272357
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,403,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!

Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.

Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.

See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars PICKIN PEAS, June 2, 2010

By 

Elisabeth Mitchell "OMI'S GRANDCHILDREN" (MARYLAND) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pickin' Peas (Hardcover)

THE BOOK CAME ON MY GRANDSON'S B'DAY - HE IS DELIGHTED WITH THE BOOK AND THE BOOK WAS JUST AS STATED IN THE DESCRIPTION.

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute story, great artwork, November 11, 2008

By 

Donna Maria (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pickin' Peas (Hardcover)

I fell in love with the artwork and then the story. Great tale for kids and adults alike.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fun story to read together!, June 30, 2005

By 

Lisa1971 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pickin' Peas (Hardcover)

I bought this for my 5 year old daughter and we have enjoyed it ever since. Told like an old folktale, it's great to read aloud. Make up your own tune for the song and have a ball!