“A rhyming tale of hay, from field to bale. In a twist on traditional work roles, this mother-daughter team tackles the job of harvesting hay. . . . Debut picture-book author Mihaly shares the true secret of hay bales—a tiny bit of summer is trapped inside each one, ready to burst out when opened on a winter’s day. Snappy, economic rhymes capture the entire process of a far-from-oft-told farm chore, while Cepeda’s oil-over-acrylic medium heightens the muddied, earthy environment. Mother and daughter are depicted with olive skin and straight, dark-brown hair. Even urban readers will cheer; in fact, the title commands it.“—Kirkus Reviews
“Mihaly has penned an ode to the summertime harvest of hay in this terse picture book. The author energetically portrays the rural tradition of baling hay with bouncing verse and rhyming phrases. . . . Framed by seasons and organized by the types of machinery used, this tale explains the hay-baling process from start to finish. Cepeda’s warm paintings convey the experience of this element of agricultural life with the palate and tone of a waning summer. . . . A simple lyrical picture book celebrating one aspect of agricultural communities.”—School Library Journal
“This nostalgic, rhyming ode to baling hay is narrated by a girl whose broad grin makes clear her love for farm life. . . Cepeda uses thick painterly layers to capture the beauty and brilliance of summer fields and changing skies.”—Publishers Weekly
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