There Was a Turkey on the Farm

by Valeri Gorbachev

A brand new picture book from beloved author illustrator Valeri Gorbachev.

Turkey is bored! She can’t find anyone to be friends with on the farm—hen is too busy with her chicks, rooster crows too loud, and who could be friends with goat who has a beard and horns?

But when Turkey ventures off the farm to find a friend, she meets someone who would love to be her sly, hungry fox. Will her farm friends save her?

Valeri Gorbachev’s indelible sense of humor and heart make this a wonderful book for the whole family!

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens, Folklore

40 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2020

About the author

Valeri Gorbachev is the author and illustrator of a number of children's books, both in the United States and Europe, including Nicky And The Big Bad Wolves and Where is the Apple Pie? Mr. Gorbachev immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1991 and now lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

(from harpercollins.com)

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Valeri Gorbachev for quite a while now. I like his illustration style and many of his stories. This one doesn't disappoint. Turkey has the common problem of telling herself stories about what the other animals on the farm think. None of them could possibly be her friend until they all show up to save her from the fox. Sometimes we don't recognize that what we need could be all around us. Our thoughts really influence our feelings about people.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review copy provided by Edelweiss

This was a pleasant barnyard story about a turkey that can't accept the other farmyard animals as possible friends. Eventually, after straying from the farm in search of friends and instead finding trouble, she realizes that the other farmyard animals were never bad candidates for friendship to begin with. This will be a nice story to share in a unit on story themes, fables, and folklore.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turkey can't seem to make any friends because she keeps offending them. Fox wants to be friends, but Turkey knows better. The farmyard animals came to her rescue, it turns out Turkey has lots of friends.

[Tam I · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read an ARC

Good message about being friends

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about friendship and farms animals. I love the colorful illustrations.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the theme of this, I just wish it had a included Turkey apologizing.

[Haaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautiful and the story is well written.

[Mrs Heet -Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story about friendship with fantastic watercolor illustrations.

[DiAnne Warfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 11-26-2025