Companion Resources

Told from Akeem's perspective, Akeem Keeps Bees begins with the arrival and installation of a package of bees and follows Akeem and his Dad throughout the year as they inspect the hive, find the queen, deal with a swarm, harvest honey, and prepare for winter. Every part of the process is illustrated for young readers, teaching them the special role that bees play on a farm. The author, Kamal Bell, is a leading voice among Black farmers educating and inspiring Black youth about farming and beekeeping.

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.

When Jun moves from Hong Kong to America, the only words she knows are hello, thank you, I don't know, and toilet. Her new school feels foreign and terrifying. But when she opens her lunchbox to find her favorite meals—like bao, dumplings, and bok choy—she realizes home isn't so far away after all. Through lush art and spare dialogue, Cherry Mo's breathtakingly beautiful debut picture book reminds readers that friendship and belonging can be found in every bite.

Each child is thinking of a farm animal. What do the animals look like? What noises do they make? Read the clues, make a guess, and pull the slider to reveal the animal hiding in the beautifully illustrated scene.

Farmers work hard to give us the food or products we need to survive. Learn about many different types of farmers including dairy, fruit and vegetable, maple syrup, beekeepers, animal farming, orchards, and Christmas tree farms.

Fish are unusual farm animals and they're also one of the most interesting. Young readers with an interest in animals will delight in this book, which explores the fascinating world of raising fish on the farm. Paired with colorful images, the age-appropriate text teaches readers all about fish, how to care for them, and the role they play on a farm.

Spend a day with Carl the Channel Catfish as he gives a rhyming tour of his daily life on a fish farm in South Georgia. This educational book contains real-life environmental photos as well as illustrations of Carl, our narrator. Children will learn what aquaculture is, what kinds of organisms can be farmed in aquaculture, how fish are farmed, and what equipment is used.

Apples for Cider is a delightful picture book that takes young readers on a charming adventure through an apple orchard. The story follows a little girl and her grandmother as they set out to pick apples for making cider. As they wander through the orchard, filling their baskets with ripe, juicy apples, they become separated and encounter other whimsical characters along the way. Will they find each other again and gather enough apples for their cider-making plans? A Parent/Teacher Guide is available to accompany the book.

Nana is coming to visit! She's going to teach Little Pickle to make her famous "Nana rolls"—a special bread recipe that Nana's nana taught her. Together, they gather ingredients: eggs and milk, flour and oil, sugar and salt, yeast and water. As they mix them together to form the dough, Nana shares stories about how making this treasured family recipe has changed over the years—and how it's sustained their family through good times and hard ones. And through the times when they could be together—and the times when they couldn't. Because sometimes a simple loaf of bread can mean so much more.

Learn to identify threatening species through tracks, scat, and the damage they leave behind. Fascinating profiles of more than 50 predatory mammals, birds, and reptiles teach farmers, ranchers, homesteaders, and backyard-animal raisers how to prevent their livestock, poultry, and pets from becoming prey. By understanding how predators think and behave, where and how they live, and how they attack and kill prey, you'll be able to interpret the potential threats surrounding your home.

Savor a rhyming celebration of one of the world's most universal foods! Readers follow ten diverse families as they cook dumplings inside their homes in preparation for a neighborhood potluck. Dumplings are added to plates one by one, encouraging children to count with each new addition. Authentic recipes for all the dumplings and a map showing their regions of origin are included in the endnotes. Dumpling Day features dumplings from the following regions: India, USA (Pennsylvania Dutch); China (Cantonese); Nigeria; Japan; Israel; Mexico; Syria; Russia; Italy.

Each year on Christmas Eve, Rosie's abuela, mamá, tía, sister, and cousins all gather together in abuela's kitchen to make tamales—cleaning corn husks, chopping onions and garlic, roasting chilis, kneading cornmeal dough, seasoning the filling, and folding it all—and tell stories. Rosie learns from her abuela not only how to make a delicious tamale, but how to make a delicious life, one filled with love, plenty of spice, and family.