The owner of the nursery, by the name of Mr. Scope,
Was an older well-dressed goose, who often smelled of soap.
He was holding some carrot seeds in two small packets,
These are for a contest," he said to the rabbits."
Who's the finest gardener? That's what I want to test,"
The one who grows the biggest carrot I say is the best.
The winner will run the nursery–that's my prize to you,
"While I travel round the world, my dream come true.
The Carrot Race
By Sigal Adler
The two main characters, who happen to be rabbits named Ruth and Mark, both worked at a nursery, taking loving care of the plants. They had become friends.
Above the green valley a warm sun was shining,
Two rabbits who met there were cheerful and smiling.
They were going to work, butterflies were everywhere
Welcoming a new day, spring was in the air.
"Good morning," said Rose,
Who had glasses on her nose.
"Good morning," answered Mark,
Whose shining fur was dark.
The two worked together, at the nursery over there,
Giving all the plants and flowers tender loving care.
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The rabbit who wanted to be boss most was Rose,
She and Mark soon became bitter foes.
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Their boss was interested in going on a long vacation and wanted to promote one of them. To select that employee, he set up a competition to see who could grow the best carrot. The winner would become the new boss. A personal note--too often bosses take an easy way out so that they do not have to make hard decisions...after all, who really knows whether the best rabbit is selected based upon a contest???
Finally! A Children's Book that speaks out against competition--of placing individuals against each other in order to win!
I believe we are creating a world geared toward selfish belief in yourself--providing a feeling that you must compete and win to be successful. This just isn't so!
Adler uses poetic rhyming verse to tell her tale and quickly points out the result of being pitted against each other. Rose wanted to be promoted and she forgot about the fact that her competitor was a friend!
Both worked very hard to care for their carrot, but Ruth was always comparing hers, making comments to Mark about surely winning... Did she?
I was delighted with this story. With colorful bright animals and a simple race to grow a carrot, the author easily points out the problem when competition comes into play, especially between or among friends.
The author successfully teaches an extremely important lesson to be learned by children and some adults alike. I recommend the book highly for your consideration.
GABixlerReviews
Originally published in Hebrew, Sigal’s books quickly became best-sellers in Israel. She has recently begun translating her work into
English so as to reach and delight a new audience.
We hope you have an enjoyable reading experience! www.sigaladlerbooks.com
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