THIS IS THE FARMER

Just right for toddlers, an appealing book in which each action propels the next, from a farmer kissing his wife, who then pats the dog, to a cat, a mouse, geese, and a donkey "that kicks the fence/and opens the gate/the farmer walks through/to milk the cow!" Very large type is balanced by closeups of animals extending beyond their frames while others — including some not mentioned — are tucked into backgrounds depicting a tidy old-fashioned farm. In the last spread, the cat gets a welcome squirt of milk direct from the cow while her kittens crowd around and the mouse hides safely in the hay: Simple as they appear, there's a lot to discover and discuss in these expansive, beautifully observed illustrations. (Picture book. 1-5)