The Last Stand - by Antwan Eady (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A little boy is excited to work alongside his Papa as they collect eggs, plums, peppers and pumpkins to sell at their stand in the farmer's market, but when Papa cannot make it to the stand, his community gathers around him, with dishes made of his own produce."--

Book Synopsis

The author of Nigel and the Moon, delivers a tender intergenerational story inspired by his childhood in the rural south. Here's a farm stand that represents the importance of family, community, and hope.

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, BOOKPAGE, and SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR - WINNER: National Council of Teachers of English Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children

Every stand has a story.
This one is mine.

Saturday is for harvesting. And one little boy is excited to work alongside his Papa as they collect eggs, plums, peppers and pumpkins to sell at their stand in the farmer's market. Of course, it's more than a farmer's market. Papa knows each customer's order, from Ms. Rosa's pumpkins to Mr. Johnny's peppers. And when Papa can't make it to the stand, his community gathers around him, with dishes made of his own produce.

Heartwarming illustrations complement the lyrical text in this poignant picture book that reveals a family's pride in their work, and reminds us to harvest love and hope from those around us.

Review Quotes

★ "The Pumphrey brothers convey a feeling of community-created abundance as the narrator reflects on family history in this intergenerational story that hints at larger sociopolitical issues." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "A sumptuously illustrated, bittersweet story that's at once an ode to and a eulogy for Black American farms." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "This multilayered story can be shared either as a family pulling together to keep their business running or as a deeper exploration of a situation many Black farmers and communities have faced." --Booklist, starred review

★ "Every inch of The Last Stand is a declaration of solidarity, perseverance and an intent to make a stand." --BookPage, starred review

★ "A celebratory love letter and a solemn apology to Black farmers." --The Bulletin, starred review

★ "The Last Stand.... tells the openhearted story of a boy and his grandfather, and pays loving tribute to Black farmers in the U.S." --Shelf Awareness, starred review

★ "A self-described love letter, this pairs perfectly with Maria Gianferrari's Thank a Farmer for classroom units or story hours on food and community." --School Library Journal, starred review

"The plight of Black farmers takes center stage in this affecting picture book." --The Horn Book

About the Author

Antwan Eady is the author of the award-winning picture book Nigel and the Moon, illustrated by Gracey Zhang. Down the dirt roads of South Carolina's Low Country is where Antwan's understanding of--and appreciation for--family, community, and land unfolded. Now he shares those stories with the world. When he isn't writing, he's visiting schools, libraries, and colleges throughout the country. A graduate of Clemson University, Antwan lives in Savannah, Georgia.

Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey are a sibling author-illustrator duo from Houston, Texas. Together they work on books for kids, including their Caldecott Honor-winning There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds, It's a Sign!, Somewhere in the Bayou, and their author-illustrator debut, The Old Truck, which received seven starred reviews and was named a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, as well as an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor Book. They both reside in Austin, Texas, with their families.