Toby’s Tails: Still Wagging (Fantasy Farm Tales Book 4)
Written by Susan Keefe
Toby, the Border Collie, narrates his adventures at Fantasy Farm in France. He lives with two humans and an assortment of farm animals with whom he shares many adventures. Readers learn a lot about Toby as well as real life facts about life on the farm.
The first book tells about Toby’s first year of life and how he was trained to be a proper border collie. In this book, readers are treated to adventures on the farm throughout the seasons from spring, summer, autumn and back to winter. Toby meets Scarlet, a squirrel who introduces us to her drey and new babies. On a car trip, Toby explains what log lorries are, we meet some bees in the meadow pollinating plants, and noisy baby goats who are growing fast. Young readers learn about the differences between a mouse and a vole, the arrival of the swallows and the wrens. At the market, mum buys fresh vegetables and guinea fowl. Of course, there must be a mystery adventure. When Henrietta, a brown hen is missing, Toby is on red alert. Readers learn about rabbits and how they breed in the spring. Toby has quite a strange experience when the family decides to go on a picnic and Mum has an interesting experience with stick insects. Mum is excited when a horse named Marine comes to live on their farm. As the season turns to autumn, the slow worms emerge to do their work. In practically no time at all, frost has returned and winter is just around the corner. How will the animals on the farm adapt and change?
Love this approach to teaching children about animals and life on a real farm in the countryside. The photos are beautiful and charming. This chapter book of a little more than fifty pages could be broken up in sections as a classroom read aloud. There is a lot of information packed within the pages. Perfect choice for an eight to ten year old who loves animals.
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March 9, 2016
bamauthor
Barbara Ann Mojica's BLOG 
4 responses to “A YEAR ON THE FARM”
Forever Joyful
March 10th, 2016 at 22:58
Sounds fun! I always enjoy taking my children to visit farms. Found you at Booknificent. Hope you’ll join us at Literacy Musing Mondays, too. I know you’re a regular there!
bamauthor
March 11th, 2016 at 17:29
Thanks for stopping by to visit. I will definitely continue to hop on over to Literacy Musing Mondays. Check out the first in a series of monthly kids classics reviews here https://bamauthor.me/2016/03/11/kidsreadclassics-touching-the-stars/
mommynificent
March 17th, 2016 at 12:34
I need to read a book like this to my kids. Dogs tend to be mangy and mean here in SE Asia and so they all really dislike them. Maybe a story like this would help! Thanks so much for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com this week!
Tina
bamauthor
March 17th, 2016 at 13:32
I have had a few similar experiences with dogs. That is probably the reason I still shy away from large dogs. Despite the large number of books written about friendly pets, the issue of children and adults being frightened by them is rarely approached.