Mac Parker: Farm Stories for Families

Vermont storyteller Mac Parker shares a half dozen stories and poems before a live audience on topics ranging from the moral dilemmas faced by a farm boy answering nature's call ("what if I peed on top of a bug's head?") to humorous odes to peepers (gossipy frogs) and pigs. Best of all, perhaps, is the heartwarming "Story of Emma Perkins," which charts Emma's unswerving dream of becoming a farmer in a traditionally male field. While these semi-static stage presentations are regularly intercut with scenes of barnyard animals and rural life, this is unlikely to hold the attention of young kids, and--it should be noted--city and suburban parents may find the humor a bit too earthy (and queasy--an ode to giving animals the right of way on roads contains references to squishing frogs; an unfortunate and virtually unavoidable facet of seasonal Northeastern travel). Not as engaging as the Mac Parker-hosted classic Let's Go to the Farm (VL-5/95), this is nevertheless recommended for larger collections. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)