Reviewed by: Michael Ernest Sweet
Concordia University

Ann Brown and her book Farm Grandma and the Dancing Pitchfork exemplify self-publishing success. Cracking the world of writing for children is a difficult task; self-publishing is no easy alternative. Ann Brown has quite obviously spent a lot of time not merely on the writing end of her project, but in the planning and executing of a well-thought business and marketing plan - a crucial element of self-publishing. The book is wonderfully illustrated with unique pictures which exude a playfulness anyone would be pleased to find associated with ‘grandma’. Moreover, text layout, faceplate, front matter and more technical aspects such as ISBN, bar code and the dedication page are all correctly in place - a seemingly herculean task for many self-publishing authors. My only complaint in this respect is that the book’s covers are flimsy and insubstantial. I would, in fact, like to see the book published as a hardcover - although I understand the difficulties this often presents with self-publishing. Regardless, the book would benefit substantially from a more permenant feeling. As one of my high school literature students remarked, “It feels like something you should get for free!”

Brown’s story line is interesting but somewhat slim on formal plot elements. Usually a children’s story involves the indentification of some kind of problem and the ending is the resolution accompanied with a “moral opportunity”. Brown’s Farm Grandma and the Dancing Pitchfork, while undeniably entertaining, is in many ways an uneventful story - nothing happens. Readers want, indeed expect, to see Ann Therese solve a mystery on the farm or find the pig who was lost in the hurricane etc. We do not see this kind of “challenge” presented to Ann Therese. Instead, we see Ann Therese merely introduce her silly grandmother (I say silly in an endearing way) and grandpa and the farm. The book is like an opening chapter to a larger book. Understanding that Brown does want to develop a series she would be wise to provide a full-blown story in the debut book(s) to hook her readers on her hopefully witty delivery. Ann Therese needs a problem to solve.

Brown does set up a good stage for future books in the series as the reader is left with a natural feeling about seeing Ann Therese and Farm Grandma once again - indeed we expect it. One also hopes to see more of Farm Grandpa in the future also as he appears to be a fun character who is perhaps underdeveloped in this volume. Understanding that the concept revolves around Farm Grandma, a prominent secondary character aside from Ann Therese will be crucial if the series is to canonize itself. Farm Grandpa is ripe for development.

Another of my students raised an additional concern with the text which I have to agree with after some thought - the pitchfork is perhaps inappropriate. Although Amazon Booksellers does index the book for ages 9-12, I wonder if in reality the book would be more attractive to slightly younger children. I have difficulty imagining a twelve year old being content reading about grandma dancing with anything. Thus, if the book is to be aimed at younger children (6-8 would seem right to me) the idea of “playing” with a pitchfork could easily present problems. In fact, if this manuscript were presented to traditional publishers I would be suprised to see it returned without a comment about the “dangers of pitchforks as playthings”. Dancing dogs, singing hogs and flying frogs are the stuff of children’s books - pitchforks, knives and axes, for example, are rarely allowed. In making the series attractive for the big six, I would recommend eliminating anything which would be problematic if a child were to actually go out and do it - dancing (read running) with a pitchfork, for example.

Hesitations about pitchforks and plotlines aside, Ann Brown has written a children’s book which, not having gone through traditional editing/publishing, is a shinning beginning. Farm Grandma is a character one remembers; a character one likes if they have, in fact, a “farm” grandma or have never been out of the city. We all ”know” farm grandma and like her immediately. I can easily imagine Brown’s books becomming successful as “independent” children’s literature given her playful imagination, careful writing/editing, and brainy business plan. Lets hope we see more of Farm Grandma, and Farm Grandpa too - I know I do.

Michael Ernest Sweet is a writer, poet, artist and public educator who lives and works in Montreal, Quebec. He is the author of Ab Ovo and Dances with Love as well as the founder of Learning for a Cause - a non-profit organization which promotes creative writing as a pedagogy for citizenship education and democratic living. Michael Sweet is Poet Laureate for the Monarchist Society of America.