Surprise often brings color to an otherwise dull life. This is exactly what happens to a grumpy, old farmer when a young clown falls off a passing train and lands in his field. Reluctantly he takes the child home and cares for him. The farmer teaches the youngster his trade and the child shows this “old dog” a few tricks.
Marlee Frazee’s brown and gray drawings, which tell her story without words, capture the lackluster routine of the farmer. The splash of color that the clown and his troupe add to the book accentuates the loneliness of the farmer. Although the clown is returned to the circus, the reader knows that their friendship will last.
Jennifer Minicus is a full-time wife and mother currently living in Ridgewood, NJ.
