Milk Rock. This item is unavailable.Milk Rock

Nothing seems to be going right for poor Farmer Foster, who has lost everything he has except for a strange rock that suddenly develops a crack from which milk keeps bubbling.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Farmer Foster is a hard-working but unlucky farmer who just barely gets by from year to year. When things look especially grim, he finds a huge rock inscribed with the words, "Care for me and I will care for you." Once he begins caring for it, he realizes that it produces milk. In no time, the media descends on the farm. Soon the man has his own line of dairy foods, a fancy car, and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Then one day, the rock, feeling neglected, stops giving milk and its owner loses everything. Farmer Foster refuses an offer to sell the Milk Rock for paperweights, however, and in gratitude it begins spouting orange juice. Kaufman's appealing, brightly colored cut-paper illustrations are nicely done and complement the humorous text. A funny story that will keep kids entertained.
George Delalis, Chicago Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This cheerfully illustrated allegory reminds successful people to be grateful for their good fortune. When the tale opens, down-on-his-luck Farmer Foster is vainly attempting to pawn his worldly possessions. Exhausted, he takes a nap, and when he awakens, his belongings have turned into a giant blue-gray stone bearing the inscription "Care for me and I will care for you." Farmer Foster obeys, sheltering the rock and polishing it, and the rock miraculously begins to give milk. The Milk Rock proves to be quite a cash cow, and soon there are hired hands to tend the farm and care for the rock while Farmer Foster snoozes. But the farmer's absorption in the good life equals bad farm karma, and the Milk Rock dries up. Elementary readers may require accounting knowledge to understand why "the bank foreclosed on the house," but the basic idea is clear: Farmer Foster shouldn't have taken the rock's gifts for granted. Kaufman (illustrator of Just Around the Corner) uses cut-paper technique to fresh effect, layering his compositions with handcut Avery label paper and coloring them with felt-tip markers. The look is spunky and vivacious. Ages 5-7.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ages 5-7. After several years of hard times and bad luck, Farmer Foster considers selling out, until he awakens from a very strange dream to find an enormous rock inscribed with the words, "Care for me and I will care for you." He dutifully pushes the boulder into his barn, feeds it, and discovers that it gives milk. Once the news media learn of this miracle, fame, fortune, and the good life follow for Farmer Foster. Then, just as suddenly, the rock goes dry, and despite all the farmer's efforts, nothing can revive it. Only after the now-destitute farmer refuses to sell the stone does it come to life again--this time spouting orange juice. Kaufman's bold, cut-paper illustrations will appeal to young listeners, and although some of the humor seems aimed at adults, kids will enjoy the story's absurdities. Kay Weisman