Scanlon, Liz Garton. Frances in the Country. Illustrated by Sean Qualls. New York: Neal Porter Books, 2022. 32 pp. Grades K–1.
Frances is a girl who longs for the country. She loves the animals, the space, and how active she can be! It’s very different from the sounds and sights of her city life. And city life comes with so many rules! In this delightful picture book featuring the contrasts between city life and country farms, Frances takes young readers on a trip between two worlds, showing how different and similar these two areas can be. This picture book features text that is simple and easy to follow, with interactive action words, making it perfect for read-alouds. The artwork is strong and distinctive and features contrasting color palettes between city and country, helping differentiate how Frances feels about her life in the city and her time in the country. Recommended for readers in grades K–1, this picture book showcases how readers can find things that they love about the place they are from, even if they don’t see it right away. Reviewed by Jennifer Nowick.
