sailed the seas.
braved the skies,
and chased the stars.
But the old truck
grew older.
And older."
This is a story told so simply, and yet marvelous! Its heart is in farm life, and the work farmers do day in and day out. It may not be easy; it is full of rewards. The old truck is as important to the work as those who make the farm viable and profitable.
A young family lives here. When we first meet them, the mother is expecting a child. The father is busy with barn construction. As the story begins, that baby has grown, the parents are loading the truck's bed with produce ready for delivery. The farm grows; the child grows; the family works hard, and so does the old truck.
As happens with old things, the truck eventually needs a rest. It is replaced by a tractor. The farm grows and changes while the old truck finds solace in dreams of sailing, flying, and exploring. The hard work continues as the mom tends chickens, the dad tends the tractor, and the ever-growing girl tends to her bicycle. All is well - and the truck ages.
The girl soon grows to be a young woman, and a capable farmer. The truck rests. One day, the 'new' farmer uses her tractor to haul it from its resting place and work some magic on her old friend. The story comes full circle when she and her daughter use the newly-refurbished truck to haul produce of their own. Bravo!
The Pomphrey brothers created more than 250 stamps to help them tell this outstanding story of resilience and persistence. The shapes and colors on every spread perfectly suit the simple storytelling. Time passes, the seasons change, the truck grows as weary as the farmers, and eventually the young woman takes up the challenge of farming with help from a dear old friend. How amazing is that?
One of my absolute favorite books this year!
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