Before We Eat: From Farm to Table - Tapa dura

Sumptuous.

A simple poem thanking the people who grow, transport, sell and prepare our food is transformed by Azarian's bright woodcuts... A warm celebration of both small farms and the idea that it takes a village to feed a child. (Picture book. 2-6)

This eye- and ear-catching read-aloud makes a wonderful discussion-starter for exploring how food is produced, acquired, and appreciated.

An irresistible tapestry.

With beguiling illustrations and a lovely spare text, this book will inspire conversations with young children about the origins of their food and start them on the path to being careful stewards of the environment.--Anne K. Fishel, Ph.D., Co-founder, The Family Dinner Project, Associate Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude as a healthy thing to do. In recent years much has been published about the numerous benefits of being grateful. The webmd.com article on gratefulness says that gratitude reduces stress and boosts the immune system, both of which improve quality of life all the way around. ...The book is a thoughtful examination of where food comes from-- that is before is gets to the grocery store. ...Pages show people engaged in every manner of food production: plowing, planting, harvesting, milking, egg gathering, packing and weighing crates, driving delivery trucks and cashiering at the grocery store. It is a wonderfully inclusive and honest way to view food acquisition.--Jennifer Prince

An especially and highly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections.--Children's Book Watch (06/29/2018)

Before We Eat is a gentle, lovely introduction to good, nutritious, locally grown food and the people who make sure it's there for us. We can all give thanks for that, and for this book.--Anupama Joshi, Executive Director and Co-Founder, National Farm to School Network

Before we eat, many people work very hard—planting grain, catching fish, tending farm animals, and filling crates of vegetables. With vibrant illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Mary Azarian, this book reminds us what must happen before food gets to our tables to nourish our bodies and spirits.This expanded edition of Before We Eat includes back-of-book features about school gardens and the national farm-to-school movement.Fountas & Pinnell Level L