Ox-Cart Man (1979)

Caldecott winner, 1980
cycle of farming life where a family spends all year making, storing, growing items to sell at a marketplace. Then using the money to buy things that will help them make, store, and grow items for the following year.

Caldecott Medal, 1980

Barbara Cooney illustrations historical story=happy Sam! ( )

The theme of this book was that hard work will get you far in the world. It also gives children an insight on farming, and how different seasons determines what the family does. It is a good book because it is informative and has many good pictures with it that children will enjoy. This book is age appropriate for early childhood level. ( )

OX-CART MAN won the Caldecott Medal in 1980. The illustrator has used the folk art style to explain the life in a farmhouse, family life etc. in New Engliand in the 18th century. The texture is always written on a white part oft he paper, but always on his own. I love one picture, it shows the valley where the farmhouse is. The first time one can see it when the father of the family is going to market, the second time, when he comes back from the market, The second time the reader is able to see the book from a different viewpoint, it looks like as he is on the other side oft he valley. The story can be read completely without text, as the paintings include the whole story. ( )

This is a beautifully illustrated story of a man who lives in the country and every October he takes his ox and cart to the market in town to sell the goods made by his family. He sells every item he brought with him including his ox and his cart. He then walks back to his farm house to start the process of making the good that he will take to the town, next October, to sell.
The pictures depict a simple family in the 18th century country side of a small in New England. These illustrations have a folk art feel to them that resembles art work associated with that time period.
Ox-Cart Man could be used in an early history lesson to discuss colonial times and how people used to support themselves as well as the kinds of goods they used to make by hand. ( )