the farmer and the clown by marla frazee

Using gouache and black pencil, Frazee-a virtuoso of mood and line-takes the surly farmer through bafflement, contemplativeness and true affection.The beauty of an unexpected visit, done beautifully. Its shape and primary colors make it look like a toy, especially against the soft, textured grays and browns of the farm, skies and earth. They juggle eggs and share real farmwork until the circus train returns along the distant tracks. Without makeup, the child-clown's smile disappears is he sad to lose that connection to his home-train, or had the smile been made of makeup all along? With growing tenderness, the farmer watches over his sleeping guest and, come morning, hops and dances to cheer him up. Silently they stare at each other, eat and wash their faces. The clown deftly pantomimes having fallen off the train-action and emotion shine wordlessly-and the farmer takes him home. He finds a small clown, wearing white makeup, a red-and-yellow costume and a broad smile. The startled farmer sets out in that direction. He sees something fall from the train and when he wanders over to take a closer look, he discovers a smiling baby clown, with a tall red hat. The farmer is tending to his field and turns to watch a circus train go by. The plot in a nutshell: A farmer cares for a young clown. As the train chugs off the edge of the spread, a jolt propels something off the caboose. Written and Illustrated by Marla Frazee Beach Lane Books, 2014. In the distance, surprisingly, a steam train crosses the horizon. A tall, scowling farmer labors with a pitchfork on an endless brown field. A solitary farmer on an empty plain receives the most unlikely visitor.

The farmer and the clown by marla frazee