Children's Book- Tops and Bottoms

I am starting a new series where I will showcase some of my favorite children's books.  I love, love, love children's books and have collected them even before I had children.  I am quite passionate about these books.  I really cannot say I have an absolute favorite children's book.  I have quite a few.  In no particular order of when I post these.

Tops and Bottoms  By: Janet Stevens

It is the story of a lazy bear and a Hare.  The bear owns all the land and Hare and his family are starving so they come up with a plan. 

"We can be business partners!" Hare says. "All we need is this field right here in front of your house. I'll do the work of planting and harvesting, and we can split the profit down the middle." Hare says soon afterwards, "So what will it be, Bear?" "The top half or the bottom half?" Hare doesn't mention what crops he will grow to bear, because, of course, he will plant veggies that bear fruit(or, well...vegetables) underground. Carrots, radishes, etc.

The next growing season, Bear will naturally choose the bottoms, but-again-he doesn't demand a certain vegetable to plant, so Hare plants vegetables like cabbage that grow above ground.

Finally Bear gets smart-or at least he thinks he is-and demands to have both the tops and bottoms of the crops; Hare agrees? This time he plants Corn so that he gets the middles.  Tricking the bear once again.  

Finally Bear gets so upset that he says he will do it himself.  Hare and his family get land for themselves and the message is that "Hard Works Pays off"

It is a Caldecott Honor book, so a lot of you might have seen or read this one before.  The pictures are incredible.  Rich with a lot of detail and new discoveries that make you look at them over and over again.  Hare wears a carrot Hawaian shirt and Bear always has a loose tie and big boots.    One very original thing about this book is it's format.  Instead of reading the book horozontally,  the only way you can read it is vertically.  

This book is clever, witty and humorous.  We love it,  and a plus is that Noah will read it sometimes even though it is not Star Wars.