The White Ravens Database

Presented by   Internationale Jugendbibliothek / International Youth Library

Dutch / Belgium

De boer en de dierenarts

(The farmer and the veterinarian)

Lammers, Pim (text)
Praagman, Milja (illus.)
Wielsbeke: De Eenhoorn, 2018. – [28] p.
ISBN 978-94-6291-288-5

Falling in love  | Homosexuality  | Emotion  | Diversity  | Picture book

Reading age: 4+

White Ravens issue: 2019

OPAC

Everything is going wrong at the farm. The farmer searches the pigs for eggs, and he wants to shave the cow instead of the sheep. He is all in a muddle and keeps finding excuses to take one of the animals to the veterinarian. The farmer is in love with the veterinarian, but too shy to ask him to a picnic. Thus, the animals decide to help their farmer. And the veterinarian finally understands what’s ailing the farmer – love-sickness. The story of this endearing picture book about love – especially love between two men – is told with simplicity in poetic language. Well-chosen words can help approach a theme that some consider “difficult”. This is certainly the case in this book, whose message is: Love is for everyone. The multi-layered black-and-white pencil drawings have a surprisingly intense coloration. The illustrator uses different perspectives, paying special attention to the eyes of both the human and animal characters.