Wheat Won't Wait (e-Book only)

Written by Aileen Fisher
Illustrated by Pers Crowell

            Cyrus McCormick’s Virginia childhood revolves around wheat. Every fall he and his classmates get out of school to harvest the fields—a work for many local and itinerant laborers. Each year before harvest, Cyrus’ blacksmith father tinkers with an invention for a mechanical wheat-cutter, but he never has time to complete it. Cyrus believes in this new machine, even when his discouraged father abandons it. He convinces his father to spare him from other work so he can perfect a working model in time to test it on a ripe wheat field. As dubious farmers watch, the first McCormick harvester holds and cuts the grain stalks faster than men can swing scythes. But farmers are slow to change their ways. Not until America’s westward expansion draws off more laborers will the farmers give Cyrus’ new-fangled machine a chance. 
           This true account of inventor Cyrus McCormick follows the unique tensions in cultivating the fields of America in the 19th century, when the amount of work far exceeds the number of workers. McCormick and his machines move westward with the wheat, and the booming commerce brings an increase in fierce competition, hounding salesman, and the demand for more inventions.

Part of the Heritage History Series.

Includes:

• Illustrations
  

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Book Details:

• Time period: 1821-1884
• Location: Virginia and Illinois
• Content suitability (age): 10-up
• Read-aloud interest: 9-up
• Readability Level (grade): RL4.2
• Page count: 191 in print book
• SKU: 222-E (e-Book only)