Casey & friends are back just in time for spring planting. In this just released book, Planters & Cultivators, by Holly Dufek and the 4th in the series, Casey and her lively friend Tillus the worm teach kids how to plant seeds and the importance of soil health.

The CASE IH cartoon equipment characters are very content at Happy Skies Farm, Casey’s family’s operation. The book kicks off with Tammi the Tiller cultivating the fields then she turns it over to Evan Plants who plants perfect rows. But not before Casey & Tillus explain what soil is and why it is so important for crops. As Casey and Evan plant the seeds, there is a neat page of illustrations that demonstrates the steps from the planter to the field.

Next, Casey feeds the crops and gives a quick lesson on crop health and fertilizer options as she rides Titan Floater in the field who assists her with her tasks. Peter the Patriot Sprayer also helps her keep the crops healthy and in the fall, Kelly the Combine harvests the crop. Casey shares the message that working together, they can make this year’s crop bigger and better than ever.

Another neat element of the book is at the end where there is a seed planting exercise for kids to learn more about seeds and soil while they get their hands just a wee bit dirty.

The books is for ages 4-8 but once again (see my review of Combines) I would suggest kids be closer in age to 6 to really begin to understand the planting process and soil health. Younger kids might not grasp the deeper lessons in the book but will still be engaged by the great photos and illustrations. Click here to purchase the book.