Jimmy Crack Corn

by Candice F. Ransom, Shelly O. Haas (Illustrator)

A nine-year-old boy and his father leave their farm in Virginia to join other veterans marching on Washington, D.C., to get the much-needed bonus money they had been promised after World War I.

72 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1994

About the author

See also Candice Ransom

Ransom has published more than 150 books for children, and she is amazed every day that she's able to do this as her life's work. It's no small thing to discover at an early age (ten!) what one is meant to do, and then pursue that dream. For her, the best part of writing for children is that she can move between writing board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade novels, nonfiction, and biography. She is excited to move into picture book nonfiction with BONES IN THE WHITE HOUSE: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MAMMOTH (Doubleday, 2020).

AMANDA PANDA QUITS KINDERGARTEN and the sequel AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY (Doubleday) are her first picture books with animal characters! She is proud of her easy readers featuring a brother and sister having fun throughout the year: PUMPKIN DAY, APPLE PICKING DAY, SNOW DAY, and GARDEN DAY. Look for more titles in this Level 1 series written in bouncy rhyme, plus the popular TOOTH FAIRY'S NIGHT (all Random House).

Reviews

[Kellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jimmy Watkins lives with his parents, sister and brother in rural Virginia. It’s 1932 and Jimmy’s father cannot find work. Several men stop by Jimmy’s house on their way to Washington, D.C. These men are veterans of WWI and are going to join a march to demand their bonuses promised to them by the government. Jimmy’s dad decides to join the march as he is a veteran, too and takes Jimmy with him. While there they live in “Hoover Ville” with hundreds of other veterans in make-shift shacks. There is little food and little to do but wait. Another veteran befriends Jimmy and gives Jimmy a harmonica. Jimmy begins singing and playing the harmonica and earns a few pennies. After several weeks Congress votes not to pay the bonuses until 1945 and troops are called out to clear the veterans from Hoover Ville. Jimmy, his father and their new friend return to Virginia.

This account is based upon many historical facts and depicts a little-known episode in American history. Younger readers will find this an accessible story.