The Ears of Corn: An Ike and Mem Story [Hardcover]

Grade 2-4--Ike and his younger sister enjoy visiting their grandparents on their farm but are unhappy with their chores. After they clean up all of the twigs and acorns from the lawn and weed the vegetable garden, they are sent to pick a basketful of corn. Angry at having to do tasks he dislikes, Ike yells, "Grandmother and Grandfather are the worst in the world!" Later that day, he hears the corn whispering in the wind and believes it is saying "Worst in the world!" The children worry that their grandparents will hear the corn and know what was said in anger. The story is resolved in a realistic fashion that will satisfy young readers. With its simple sentence structure and appealing characters, this title is appropriate for youngsters who are just ready to try chapter books.--Jean Lowery, Bishop Woods Elementary School, New Haven, CT
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When Ike and his little sister Mem spend the weekend at their grandparents' farm, they resent all the work they must do, until they realize that there is more to their visit than just doing chores, and that everyone must cooperate and pitch in if they are to get along.

Anna Alter is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She illustrated "The Three Little Kittens" and "Estelle and Lucy", which she also wrote. She lives in Massachusetts.

Patrick Jennings is the author of many books for young readers, including the recent BookSense Children's Pick "Out Standing in My Field." His Ike and Mem series was a success with the chapter book crowd, and "Booklist" observed in a starred review, "The writing is all the more telling in its spareness." He lives in Washington State.