The Wheat Doll - Hardcover

Randall, Alison L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1561454567 ISBN 13: 9781561454563

Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company, 2008

Synopsis

Mary Ann lives with her family in the rugged Utah territory. Mary Ann has a busy life, and a special friend to share it with: her beloved homemade doll, Betty.
Betty’s wheat-filled body sits straight and tall. Her embroidered eyes never blink. Still, Mary Ann knows that Betty is always paying attention. But one afternoon, a sudden, fierce storm forces Mary Ann and her family into their cabin before the young girl can retrieve her doll from the garden. By the time the wild wind and rain subside, Betty is gone. Mary Ann is heartbroken, but one day when winter turns to spring, Mary Ann spies a familiar shape growing into a patch of slender grass near the bottom of a hill.
Author Alison L. Randall’s moving tale of steadfast love and hope is complemented by Bill Farnsworth’s evocative illustrations. An afterword provides more information about 19th century rural life and the real-life inspiration for Mary Ann.

About this title

About the Author:

Alison L. Randall lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and a cat named Indy. The Wheat Doll is her first picture book.

Bill Farnsworth has illustrated more than 40 award-winning books for young readers, including The Wheat Doll. He has spent much of his professional life painting landscapes, and his art has appeared in many national shows and private collections throughout the United States. He lives in Florida.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 1–4—Mary Ann is a pioneer girl who lives on a rustic Utah farm with her mother and father. Her best friend is her homemade wheat-filled doll. One day Mary Ann sets Betty on a stump while she pulls carrots in the garden. Suddenly a storm sweeps across the valley, and Mary Ann's parents hurry her into the safety of the cabin. After the storm, the girl searches everywhere but she cannot find her beloved doll. Mary Ann is lonely without it all winter, but in spring she discovers a doll-shaped patch of wheat sprouting from the mud near where the toy was lost. She tends the sprouts and makes a new doll from the grains. This is a sweet story of loss and renewal told with empathy and feeling that is never heavy-handed. There is just the right amount of detail to make the setting seem real without bogging down the narrative. Farnsworth's realistic oil paintings have a warm, soft quality that matches the tone of the text. Like the author, he adds just enough detail to establish the setting without distracting from the main subject. This picture book is a great addition to all collections, but has special appeal to libraries in areas with a pioneer heritage.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
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About this edition

• Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1561454567
• ISBN 13: 9781561454563
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Farnsworth Bill