Raccoons and Ripe Corn (Reading Rainbow Books) [Paperback]

Jim Arnosky (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Series: Reading Rainbow Books

The corn is ripe...and the raccoons are hungry. As the moon rises a mother raccoon and her two young begin an all night feast in a cornfield. Acclaimed nature artist Jim Arnosky gives young children an unforgettable wildlife-watching experience.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

On an autumn night, nature sends dry, yellow leaves and raccoons from a tree near the farm to the cornfield. The corn is ripe and the raccoons feast on the sweet kernels. The night passes, and the moon, an owl and the raccoons retreat before sunrise. Green husks, bare ears and half-eaten corn are left scattered among the fallen leaves. Arnosky's photograph-like depiction of nature allows the smallest of life-forms and the largest of natural phenomena to participate in one uniform processearth and sky, autumn winds and nocturnal animals, hunger and eating are all parts of nature's weaving. Fall colors of brown and yellow take on a softened, pastel look in the realistic night setting, and accurate details (the moonlight reflected in raccoon eyes) give readers a good picture of one night's occurrence. But a question remains: Can a stalk of corn really support a small but weighty-looking owl? Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Over the years Jim Arnosky has established himself as Nature's unofficial portrait painter....A lovely book ideal for sharing with preschoolers." -- -- Washington Post Book World

"The book is so simple -- yet it has long-range, satisfying, repeated appeal for the youngest patrons." -- -- School Library Journal
(starred review)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (August 21, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688104894
• ISBN-13: 978-0688104894
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #816,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, October 27, 1999

By 

Reader (CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Raccoons and Ripe Corn (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

We were absorbed by the beautiful life like illustrations. The text is simple, not too wordy. Can be read by a beginning reader.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Art - a review of "Raccoons and Ripe Corn", August 2, 2006

By 

Pam Tee "Busy Mom" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Raccoons and Ripe Corn (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

I've gotten this book from the library twice; once when my children were younger and again now that they are 4 and 6 (boy and girl). Both times this book has failed to capture their imaginations (or in other words they didn't ask for repeat readings like they do for other books).

I think this is because there is not enough story to intrigue them. The book is more about description than plot: autumn leaves sailing over the cornfield; corn silk turning brown; a mother raccoon and her nearly grown kits pealing away the green husks to expose yellow kernels....

Nice imagery, but not to every child's taste.

Three Stars. [C+]. There is much to discuss in this book. The pictures show autumn coming and a variety of animals, bugs, plants. HOWEVER, there is little in the way of story. Raccoons come. Raccoons feast. Raccoons depart.

Might be a good book to add to a young child's library if they are the sort that likes to look a picture books.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet book for the nature lover, September 24, 2008

By 

P. Cohen (Bay Area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raccoons and Ripe Corn (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

My 5-yr-old daughter borrowed this book from her school library -- and we both enjoyed it. She is a beginning reader and asked to read this book many times over the weekend. Sometimes it's the simple ones that have the biggest impact ...