2018 Book of the Year

We are happy to announce our 2018 “Book of the Year” award was given to Tracy Nelson Maurer for “John Deere, That’s Who!” This strikingly illustrated book describes a young blacksmith’s quest to design a better plow.

Maurer is the author of more than 100 books, including many nonfiction books for children. She lives near Minneapolis with her family and loves to interact with readers on her frequent school and library visits.

Maurer notes, “John Deere [originally] had nothing to do with tractors; I learned from researching another project. I thought kids would think that’s a fun fact. Maybe they’d want to know more: What exactly did this guy do? Why is he famous? That’s what this book answers in a fun way, and it shows how one determined and creative person influenced an entire nation. I’m honored to receive this recognition, and I’m grateful for the Foundation’s work to share important stories about America’s farming legacy.”

The “Book of the Year” award springs from our effort to identify “Accurate Ag Books,” a collection of nearly 500 books for children, teenagers and adults that accurately covers agricultural topics. Book of the Year selections are educational and help to tell the farmer’s story. The Accurate Ag Books database is available at: http://www.agfoundation.org/recommended-pubs.

To accompany the “John Deere, That’s Who!” book, we have created an educator’s guide and a new Ag Innovations Ag Mag.