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Ben and Jody may be miles apart, but they are two of a kind.
Ben is a country kid. He lives on a quiet farm, where he wakes to the peaceful sounds of cows mooing and birds chirping.
Jody is a city kid. She lives in an apartment building, where her mornings begin with honking horns and wailing sirens.
Their lives are nothing alike—or are they?
Ben lives on a cattle farm and Jody lives in a melting-pot metropolis, but as Cummins (The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries) and Rand (Once Upon a Farm) see it, the ostensible differences in landscapes leave plenty of common ground. For example, each wakes up to noises outside the window. Ben "hears cows mooing and birds singing," while Jody "hears taxicab horns and fire truck sirens." The narrative continues to compare and contrast their everyday lives, until the final spreads, when the children meet at Camp Eagle Ridge and become fast friends. "Country kid, city kid-miles apart, but two of a kind," sums up Cummins, while Rand shows the two happily paddling a canoe together. Despite something of a dulling effect from the dyad structure and rather perfunctory treatment of Jody and Ben's friendship, this book possesses a vintage charm. The earnestly cheery, realistic watercolors focus on what may seem exotic to outsiders-Ben's chores tending cows, Jody and her mother's shopping at side-by-side Asian and Italian groceries; Ben's travel to a bookmobile stop, Jody's solo ride on a city bus. Youngsters will likely enjoy this welcoming approach to contrasting lifestyles. Ages 4-6. (Nov.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Nick Athas
reviewed Country Kid, City Kid on September 07, 2009
Country Kid, City Kid
Cummins, J. (2002). Country Kid, City Kid. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
0805064672
Country Kid, City Kid shows the similarities and differences in the lives of Ben, a country kid, and Jody, a city kid, based on where they live. The focus is very much on their daily routines, the small differences between Ben and Jody's experiences and the underlying similarities. In the illustrations, Jody and Ben often wear parallel colors or items of clothing, which was a nice touch. And it's only a matter of time, before they meet and become friends despite those surface differences.
Of course, the question arises, what about suburban kid? Where is his or her story? Another issue with the book is that it assumes a middle class and Christian background. Also, the fact that Ben is white and Jody is black is completely unaddressed by the text (but some teachers prefer any potential race issues to be ignored). It is worth discussing though, since minority characters are only shown in Jody's city narrative. Apparently the country is only for white people. And why, in all the comparisons, is information about the white boy shared first?
Activities to do with the book:
Students could write and draw about their own lives following the example laid out in the book, focusing on narrating their daily lives, what they did over the summer, new friends they made, how their family celebrates holidays or interacts with their community.
Also, if a student is preparing to go to a summer camp for the first time, this book could be shared to help prepare the students for the various activities they can enjoy.
Favorite Quotes:
"Ben is a country kid. When he wakes up in the morning, he hears cows mooning and birds singing."
"Jody is a city kid. When she wakes up in the morning, she hears taxicab horns and fire truck sirens."
"The first snowfall sends Ben scurrying for his sled to go sliding down the big hill with his friends."
"When it snows in the city, Jody knows to wear boots for walking on the slushy sidewalks. She can't resist jumping in the fresh snow."
"For summer vacation, Ben is eager to go to Camp Eagle Ridge to canoe, build campfires, and meet new friends."
"Jody is excited about her first time at Camp Eagle Ridge. She looks forward to swimming, hiking and learning to ride a horse."
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