#240 of 1001 · March 28, 2021

Where does our food come from? This simple question has many answers, and the pursuit of those answers can often enrich our minds as the food itself nourishes our bodies. @nikkimcclure’s To Market, to Market explores this topic in engrossing detail. On a visit to the local farmer’s market, a child observes the inviting sights, sounds, and smells all around. Alternating pages dive deeply into the process of each farmer and make. It’s not simply the goods for sale that receive focus in McClure’s detailed text, but also the humans doing the work that makes it all possible: their lives, attitudes, and experiences. We learn about Michael’s apple orchard, Steve’s salmon smoker, Benjamin’s beehives, Yukie’s fabric dyeing tubs, and many other centers of productivity. McClure’s illustrations, meticulously cut from black paper and digitally colored, highlight each item with a strong hue that stands out starkly from the black and white environment. A personal anecdote: several years ago, I was lucky enough to have Nikki McClure come visit my preschool classroom (graciously arranged by the wonderful @heatherrossinsta). My students were enthralled as she demonstrated her process, nimbly cutting a sheet of paper into a finished image with practiced strokes of her craft knife right before our eyes. #market #farmersmarket #farmer #farmers #maker #makers #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks