Kate Can't Wait

Carol Bodrug is a former elementary-school teacher with the Durham Board
of Education.

The title tells us all about Kate’s personality. “Are we there
yet?” is her favorite question. “You’ll have to wait” is her
mother’s patient reply.

Kate moves with her family to a farm. There she meets a new friend,
Jessie. Jessie introduces the little girl to many aspects of farm life.
Kate can’t wait to visit her friend or to take home a new kitten. She
also can’t wait for the strawberries to grow in her garden.

Eventually Kate does learn to tend her plants patiently and carefully
every day, and soon the strawberries ripen. When they’re ready to eat,
she and Jessie share the berries at a tea party.

Marilyn Eisenstein’s tells the story in simple, straightforward
prose, and most children will identify with the “I can’t wait”
theme. Miranda Jones illustrates the text with detailed, cheerful
pictures in bright colors with black-pen outlines. Each double-page
spread features an illustration contained within a colorful frame on one
side and on the other side the text page is bordered to match. The
illustrations are so vibrant, you can almost taste the strawberries.
Recommended.