A Rosette for Maeve?

Review also includes:

Colms’ Lambs, 978-1847173393

Published in association with the Irish Farmers Journal, these two books explore country life and farming through a fictional context.  In A Rosette for Maeve?, the stronger of the two titles, the annual show is just days away. Lisa has a special responsibility this year and is entering Maeve – the first calf to be bred on her parents’ beef farm – into a livestock competition. Lisa works hard to groom and train Maeve, who, she declares, responds with all the confidence and panache of a supermodel. In fact, so assured – and even fashion-conscious – does the calf become that she almost scuppers Lisa’s chances of winning.

Often humorous, the story is realistic and straightforward and shows the hard work involved in animal care and the importance of agricultural events in drawing communities together. It presents a world far removed from that of the city and town, and, from that perspective, will interest young urban readers. Similarly, Colm’s Lambs, about the lambing season, also shows a dedicated way of life unfamiliar to many children. The books are in picture-book format, with cheerful full-page illustrations set against crisp white backgrounds. At times, the text sits too densely on the page, which works against the simplicity of the story content and may be daunting to beginner readers.