The Tortilla Factory

Ages 6^-9. Using simple yet evocative language, Paulsen tells young readers how a corn seed eventually becomes a tortilla. "The black earth sleeps in winter . . .," but in the spring, it is worked by brown hands that plant the yellow seeds. Seeds become plants, and then the corn is ground into flour and sent to the tortilla factory. The flour disks come off the machine, are packaged, and eventually arrive in kitchens--" to be wrapped around juicy beans and eaten by white teeth, to fill a round stomach and give strength to the brown hands that work the black earth." This circular telling works nicely with the strong, attractive paintings that get texture from their linen surface. The simplicity of the text does raise a few questions, however. For instance, is the dough really kneaded by hand after it has been mixed by machinery? Although this may have select appeal, it's an interesting and attractive offering. Ilene Cooper