Farmer John’s Tractor

Submitted by Ms. Janis!

Farmer John’s Tractor by Sally Sutton. The winter rains are so persistent that the river has swollen and is now starting to flood. A mother, father, and two children are caught by surprise and stranded in a car at the edge of the river. A few people try to help but find themselves stuck as well. Even the fire engine can’t free them from the muck. Farmer John sees all the trouble and goes to get his old tractor that has been locked up in the barn for years. The stranded family is worried that this rusty tractor can’t get the job done. The refrain “Farmer John’s tractor lies locked in the shed, rusty yet trusty and orangey red” is great for children to “help” read the story, and gives them a hint of what is going to happen next. The rhyming text flows nicely and is easy to read. The artwork tells the story beautifully and fills the pages with soft, delicate, watercolor paintings. This picture book is great as a read-alone or read-aloud story book. See this book listed in our catalog