Author Alan K. Lewis knows all about the sweetness of childhood and life on a farm-he grew up on one. In his sweet picture-book memoir I Grew Up On a Farm, he speaks from the heart of rural America, of a father's tractor that popped a wheelie in the ditch, of cousins from the city who came to his farm to catch crickets and grasshoppers, of winter fun and Mom's hot cocoa that she made after a day of chores, "sun-up to sun-down."

Children will enjoy Lewis's recollections, especially accompanied by photos of a three-room schoolhouse, winter on the farm, and his childhood horse, Stormy. The illustrator, Bob Fletcher, artfully captures the look of the farm, and his drawings make a collage when combined with Lewis's childhood photos. I especially liked the way Lewis and Fletcher inserted a photo of Lewis, his brother and a loyal Airedale named Sandy (who looks like Little Orphan Annie's dog) into a rendering of a pond scene.

The tales of farm chores, raising livestock and carrying pails of slop for the pigs, will inspire kids to ask questions. This heartwarming book includes Web links for parents and children to explore as well as a teacher's guide. It might even convince you to not buy that virtual pet.