Once in the Country: Poems of a Farm

Reach for this book when you want to slow down a frantic day or help a child cultivate a sense of awe in the ordinary. It is a perfect choice for bedtime or a quiet afternoon when your child is feeling overstimulated and needs a gentle anchor to the natural world. Through lyrical, rhythmic verse, Tony Johnston captures the small but magnificent moments of farm life: the sound of a rain barrel, the sight of a prowling cat, and the patient growth of a garden. While the poems describe rural living, the emotional core is about presence and appreciation. It helps children aged four to eight develop a vocabulary for their observations and validates their natural curiosity. This collection provides a comforting, secular space to practice mindfulness, teaching children that there is profound beauty in watching a spider work or listening to the wind, fostering a lifelong gratitude for the environment around them.