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Summary
Summary
As the sun sets over the fields, a little girl and her father begin the evening milking. The girl gathers the cows--a "Holstein parade"--and guides them to the barn. Father and daughter work side by side, piling up the grain for feeding, fanning out beds of straw, and hooking up the milkers. In the corner pen, the girl feeds the calves all by herself.
Soon they've filled milk can after milk can for the creamery truck that will arrive in the morning. The fresh dairy product isn't just for them--other families will buy their milk, butter, and cheese at stores and farmers markets near and far, connecting the little girl':s farm to the world beyond.
Phyllis Alsdurf's poetic story lovingly depicts the special bond between a child and her father and the relationship between a young farmer and her animals. With Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher's exquisite illustrations, It's Milking Time is a lyrical and visual treasure--perfect for reading aloud every morning, every night, to anyone who's ever asked: Where does milk come from?
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4-At once both reminiscent and contemporary, this narrative poem tells the twice-daily story of milking time. It creates a clear picture of a small family dairy farm, weaving in facts without interfering in the artistry. The careful choice of words alerts all the senses-smell, touch, sight, hearing, and even taste. "Cuds a-chewing,/tails a-swatting,/hooves a-pounding,/into the barnyard they trudge." Readers will also feel the strong tie between father and daughter (and the cows) as they share this routine chore. Realistic watercolor paintings enrich the text with the soft, mellow light of a summer evening. Whether being dwarfed by a large cow or feeling the warm breath of a calf, readers are pulled into the compositions and become participants. Both city and farm children will appreciate the satisfaction of a job well done-"Every morning, every night, it's milking time."-Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
From the moment we see the Holstein-spotted endpapers we're transported to life on a dairy farm with its unending cycle: "Every morning, every night, / its milking time." Readers unfamiliar with the routines depicted will be pleasantly enlightened. Both text and art are quietly soothing and filled with interesting details. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
The Milkman, illustrated by Douglas B. Jones (2005). It's a lovely, poetic picture. (Picture book. 4-7) ]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Alsdurf grew up on a dairy farm in southern Minnesota and it shows. Every note of this gentle, yet never patronizing, story of how milk is retrieved from cows is authentic, and it's exactly these specifics that will be eye-opening to young readers: how the stanchions are lowered to keep the cows in place, how the teats are washed, how the milkers are attached with leather straps, and so forth. The story follows a little girl helping her father with the daily milking chores, a task of comforting repetition. Throughout, she repeats the same phrase: Every morning, every night, it's milking time. Just as fine as the detailed descriptions is Alsdurf's way of conjuring the slow, quiet texture of farm life: The air is hot, heavy. Overhead a fan whirs. Tails swishing, the cows chomp and chew their cud. Johnson and Fancher's dusty watercolors lend the grit of a family farm a halcyon hue and match Alsdurf's realism at every step. A nicely understated glimpse at a life fewer and fewer kids are likely to see.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
Excerpts
Excerpts
I slip under barbed wire and race down the lane. Fast. I_m late. Dad_s waiting on me to start milking. _Come, boss,_ I holler. _Come, boss._ There by a stand of poplars, a huddle of black and white starts to move. Jay-Jay, as usual, leads the Holstein parade Excerpted from It's Milking Time by Phyllis Alsdurf All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
