School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 1-These four forgettable picture books are set in an imaginary "friendly little place on the prairie." Any resemblance to Garrison Keillor country ends there. Unlike Lake Wobegon or numerous books with rural settings, these volumes lack genuine humor or warmth and are peopled with simple stereotypes. Erkocak's rounded illustrations portray rural yokels complete with feed caps, and every title features a similarly predictable plot. Young Fawn Braun longs for big-city lights, and a friend of hers creates a fake city. Louie the Layabout is a giant lazybones who just needs to find the right role. Farmer Cap is the village simpleton. What appears to be a Native American boy greedily swallows the sun in Henry Shortbull. With a bountiful crop of good farm books to choose from, such as Karen Wallace's Scarlette Beane (Dial, 2000) and Jerdine Nolen's Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm (HarperCollins, 1994), pass on this batch.-Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.