Tops & Bottoms is a charming and unique picture book written and illustrated by Janet Stevens. You will need to turn the book sideways to view the illustrations. As a bonus, it’s a great introduction into how vegetables grow and a vote for working hard. The book draws on the traditions of trickster and Brer Rabbit tales as well as European folk tales.
In the story, we meet a lazy land-owning bear. He’s so lazy that he sleeps through growing seasons. We also meet the rabbit family who are not doing well. The rabbit father, Hare, lost a bet with a tortoise and the family doesn’t have any food or land to grow food on. Hare wakes up Bear and makes a deal with him. Hare and his family will plant, weed, and harvest and split the crop right down the middle with Bear. Bear agrees. Before he nods back off to sleep, Hare asks if Bear wants the top half of the crop or the bottom. Bear picks top.
Hare and his busy rabbit family plant, weed, and water. The baby rabbits are very cute wrestling with the vegetables that are bigger than they are. When harvest comes we find that the rabbits have grown carrots, radishes, and beets. Bear says that next time he wants the bottom half of the crop. This time Hare plants lettuce, broccoli, and celery. Bear is furious and demands that next time he gets the tops and the bottoms. Hare agrees and says he’ll take the middle.
When harvest time comes again we see the rabbits trimming off the roots and tassels of the corn plants. Bear decides from now own he’ll plant and harvest his own crops. The rabbit family is able to buy back their land with their profits and they open up a vegetable stand.
Tops & Bottoms is also a Caldecott honor book.
Also See:
The Picture Books of Laura Joffe Numeroff
Best Folktale and Fairytale Books