Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Cheerful Farmer Falgu heads to market with his cart filled with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, green chilies, and a variety of eggs. The white eggs crack when the oxen hit potholes on the road, "Bump! Dunk!" The brown eggs are broken when a duck family causes the cart to stop suddenly. And, even though Farmer Falgu places the basket of duck eggs in his lap until he arrives at the market, a big truck startles the oxen. The last eggs crack and the produce is smashed. But the farmer is clever as well as talented. With a borrowed pan, he makes delicious omelets, which he successfully sells at the market. Lively, engaging language appears in differing colors and typefaces to underscore the farmer's drama, accompanied by simple but effective illustrations. Strong lines, bold shapes, and warm colors convey Farmer Falgu's trek to market and the minor disasters along the way. VERDICT A welcome addition to picture book collections and a solid read-aloud to share individually or with groups.-Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When life breaks your eggs, make omelets!The story's titular protagonist is an adult, brown-skinned Indian farmer who is taking his eggs and produce to the market on an ox cart but has to improvise when the ride turns bumpy. Unexpected potholes, heedless ducks, and speeding trucks cause Farmer Falgu's produce to topple and the eggs to crack. Should he go back home, or can he find a way to turn things around? While the story has a valuable lesson, it seems contrived in many respects. Despite the cracks, Farmer Falgu's eggs survive long enough for him to make a mass of crowd-pleasing omelets, and a stove magically appears when he needs one. Also, one wonders how many farmers in present-day Rajasthan travel in an ox cart to sell eggs, but perhaps some do. Similar to series opener Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip (2016), the concise onomatopoeic sounds are in bigger and color-coded type, which provides additional emphasis and is perfect for read-alouds. The bold, thick-outlined illustrations are engaging, but they provide only a narrow reflection of rural India.The story itself has some cracks, but it has both a good moral lesson and likely appeal for young kids. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.