Three cousins—Rafael, Alegra and León—are dispatched to the market in Istanbul to buy some of the necessary foods for their family's upcoming Rosh HasThree cousins—Rafael, Alegra and León—are dispatched to the market in Istanbul to buy some of the necessary foods for their family's upcoming Rosh Hashanah celebration in this picture book celebration of Sephardic Jewish traditions. As they seek out the fish, leeks and pomegranates their Nona instructed them to obtain, they are followed by a growing group of cats, much to the discomfort of Alegra, who finds the creatures creepy. Their feline entourage comes in handy when the children confront a bully however, and soon the cousins are home again, celebrating the holiday with their family, and enjoying all of its symbolic and meaningful food...
Most of what I know about Rosh Hashanah and other Jewish traditions comes from the Ashkenazi, the Jewish diaspora of Europe, as opposed to either the Mizrahi, the Jewish diaspora in North Africa and the Middle East, or Sephardi, the Jewish diaspora created by the expulsion of Jews from Iberia, and their subsequent settlement in the Ottoman Empire. Given that this is so, I was delighted to discover A Turkish Rosh Hashanah, which follows a Sephardic Jewish family in Istanbul, at some point in the past, as they prepare for and then celebrate the new year. The story is told by American author Etan Basseri, and the accompanying illustrations are done by Turkish artist Zeynep Özatalay. I found the narrative engaging and the artwork appealing, but I think my favorite part of the book was the opportunity to learn about traditions previously unknown to me. The different foods the family consume, for instance, each have a symbolic meaning—the fish head signifies a desire to lead and have self-determination, the pomegranate the desire that one's good deeds for the year be as numerous as that fruit's seeds, and so on—and are all part of the Yehi Ratsones, the traditional seder held by Sephardic Jews on Rosh Hashanah. This would make an excellent book to share with Sephardic children, who will see their own traditions celebrated; with Ashkenazi children, who will see the customs of other Jewish communities centered; and with non-Jewish children, who can learn about the diversity within the Jewish community....more
Carved many hundred of years ago by a Lenape man, and visited down through the generations by Lenape children, a stone turtle watches the land and worCarved many hundred of years ago by a Lenape man, and visited down through the generations by Lenape children, a stone turtle watches the land and world around him transformed over time in this picture book from author Sheila MacGill-Callahan and illustrator Barry Moser. He sees newcomers arrive, the land cleared, and the people around him change. Eventually vandalized by some punks, the turtle draws into itself, blind and deaf, and betrayed by the world. Here he sits in darkness, until found by a researcher who understands who and what he is, and who has him cleaned up and moved to the New York Botanical Society, where he is once again surrounded by children playing...
Published in 1991, And Still the Turtle Watched was author Sheila MacGill-Callahan's debut, and the first of the six picture books she would eventually go on to see published. It pairs a somewhat melancholy, bittersweet narrative about the passage of time and the many changes it brings, with lovely watercolor artwork from illustrator Barry Moser. The theme here—the changes wrought by the march of history, as seen in one specific locale—reminded me strongly of subsequent picture books like Lynne Cherry's A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History (1992) and Debby Atwell's River (1999), which I happened to read before this one. While the focus in those books is on a river, and the world around it, here we have a turtle observer, one endowed with emotional awareness in the story. Of the three books, I think the one by Atwell is best, but I still found this one moving, and couldn't help sympathizing with the anthropomorphized turtle. I think all three of these books would work as an exploration of the theme of change, not just in the past, but potentially in the future as well. Rivers become polluted, and stone carvings are vandalized, but we can always do better, and try to set things right. Just as things worsen, so can they improve....more
A young boy witnesses his community come together to save a neighbor's farm in this work of picture book historical fiction, set in the American MidweA young boy witnesses his community come together to save a neighbor's farm in this work of picture book historical fiction, set in the American Midwest during the hot summer of 1933. When Miss Elsie's strawberry farm is threatened with foreclosure, because she can no longer make her payments to the bank, the people in Davey's small town decide to hold a penny auction, keeping the price low enough that she can afford to buy it again. Davey, who for his part had been thinking of spending the penny he earned at the general store while carrying Miss Elsie's bags, uses the special coin to launch the auction...
I originally sought out Saving Strawberry Farm because I found it on a list of picture books about the Fourth of July, which just recently passed. As it happens, although the story is set around the holiday, and although Davey's family plans at one point to hold a Fourth of July picnic, the book is not really concerned with this topic, and is more about the ravages of the Great Depression on a midwestern farming community. I found the story here engaging, and thought it was interesting to see a picture book about a penny auction. That said, I didn't find myself as emotionally involved as I expected to be, and I'm not sure why. This is the fifth picture book I have read from author Deborah Hopkinson, and with the exception of her A Letter to My Teacher, I find that I enjoy her work, but that it doesn't make a deep impression on me. I have similar feelings about illustrator Rachel Isadora, whose work I have encountered in a number of picture books. With the exception of her illustrations for Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl, I have found her work pleasant, but not especially memorable. Tastes vary of course, so other readers and listeners may have stronger positive reactions. I'd recommend this one to picture book audiences that enjoy historical fiction, and to anyone seeking children's stories about the Great Depression....more
Charlotte, James and Baby John get up to all sorts of tricks in this amusing work of picture book historical fiction, based upon the 1796 visits of GeCharlotte, James and Baby John get up to all sorts of tricks in this amusing work of picture book historical fiction, based upon the 1796 visits of George Washington to the famous Philadelphia painter Stuart Gilbert, in order to have his portrait painted. The story is told through the letters of young Charlotte to Mr. Washington, as she apologizes for her and her brothers' various misdeeds, promises to copy out and learn the rules of civility sent to them by that great man, and urges him to smile for his portrait. The book concludes with an afterword setting out the history behind the story...
Dear Mr. Washington is the third picture book I have read from author Lynn Cullen, and is something of a departure, as the previous two (Godiva and The Mightiest Heart) were folkloric retellings. I approached it with some curiosity, recognizing illustrator Nancy Carpenter's work as well, as I have read a number of her books. In any case, I found this one quite entertaining, appreciating the madcap antics of the Gilbert children, described in Charlotte's letters and expanded upon in the artwork. I liked the way those letters incorporated some of the rules of etiquette to be found in Washington's Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior In Company And Conversation, purportedly given by Washington to the children in the story here. I recall reading in the Chernow biography of Washington how he, unlike so many of his peers, was largely self-educated, and how carefully he studied issues of manners and etiquette, copying out 110 rules of conduct by the time he was sixteen, as part of his campaign to better himself. Given that this is so, the inclusion here of some of these rules should be very enlightening for young people, I think, giving them an insight both into the mores of the time, and into a text important to the development of our first president's character. All in all, this was an entertaining and educational book, one featuring an. engaging epistolary narrative and expressive artwork that captures the humor of the story. Recommended to young history lovers, and to anyone searching for books about George Washington for children. This could be paired nicely with a good picture book about his life more generally....more
Taking various traditional Robin Hood ballads as his starting point, author David Calcutt relates the story of the famous outlaw from Sherwood Forest Taking various traditional Robin Hood ballads as his starting point, author David Calcutt relates the story of the famous outlaw from Sherwood Forest in this oversized illustrated chapter-book. Forced into the life of an outlaw by the treacherous foresters of the Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin gathers his Merry Men. Chapters are devoted to his meeting with Little John, how Robin and his men aided a widow and her three sons, how Friar Tuck and Alan-a-Dale joined the band, how Robin met Maid Marian, how the band aided Marian's brother, how Robin competed in an archery contest for a golden arrow, and how Robin escaped from captivity and fought his last battle against the Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Guy of Gisborne. The book closes with a discussion of England during Robin Hood's day, and a list of references and sources...
As someone who has always loved the Robin Hood story, and who grew up reading any number of different retellings—everything from Henry Gilbert's rather old-fashioned Robin Hood (my childhood favorite) to Robin McKinley's rather modern The Outlaws of Sherwood (my teenage favorite)—I was excited to pick up this 2012 retelling from David Calcutt, especially as it is aimed at slightly younger chapter-book readers than most other versions I have encountered. I've come across many Robin Hood picture books, and many longer novels for older middle-grade and young adult readers, but this version, which is physically quite large but textually brief—it's like a picture book / chapter book hybrid—is the perfect volume for children just beginning to read longer fiction. On the whole I found it quite appealing, and although it isn't destined to become a favorite, I think it fulfills its purpose quite well. I did wonder a bit at the depiction of Marian—is she actually a warrior to equal Robin, in some traditional ballads, or is that Calcutt's invention?—but not enough that it detracted from my enjoyment. I thought the artwork from Grahame Baker-Smith was interesting, although sometimes also a little creepy. Recommended to anyone seeking a Robin Hood retelling for beginning chapter book readers....more
Hezekiah Butterworth unfolds two Christmas tales, both set in the New England region, in this brief work of holiday fiction for young people, first puHezekiah Butterworth unfolds two Christmas tales, both set in the New England region, in this brief work of holiday fiction for young people, first published in 1894.
In The Parson's Miracle, the tender-hearted Parson Pool, the minister of a small parish in the New Hampshire hills, finds himself unequal to the task of butchering the fine chicken given to him as a gift by one of his parishioners. Positioning the bird on the chopping block, he closes his eyes at the last minute, swings his axe, and is astonished to discover the bird has disappeared, when he opens his eyes again. Although the parson believes a miracle has occurred, his little grandson, a witness to the entire event, knows the truth...
In My Grandmother's Grandmother's Christmas Candle, a young girl narrates the story of one of her ancestors, who lived in the Pocasset settlement of the Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, before and during King Philip's War (1675-1676). Coming into conflict with one of the warriors of Weetamoo, the female sachem or chief of the Pocasset tribe of the Wampanoag Confederation, the narrator's great-great-grandmother and her many Christmas Eve guests were saved by her Christmas candle—a special candle with gunpowder at the base of its wick, which was made to explode when the candle burned down—which went off at just the right time...
Although very familiar with the work of Hezekiah Butterworth, a 19th-century American author and lecturer, whose seventeen-volume ZigZag Journeys provided young people with travelogue fiction meant to introduce them to different parts of the world, this slim volume is the first of his books I have actually read. I picked it up because it is part of the Christmas in Many Lands series, which began with four similar volumes, set in England, France, Germany and Italy, that were produced by English sisters and author/illustrator team Florence Scannell and Edith Scannell. Originally published in Britain in 1888, these volumes were republished by the Boston-based publisher Estes and Lauriat (later Dana Estes & Company) in around 1892. It's worth noting that three of these original volumes were published in the states under different titles. Apparently deciding to expand the series, the American publisher released Butterworth's The Parson's Miracle and My Grandmother's Grandmother's Christmas Candle: Christmas In America in 1894. One of the stories included, My Grandmother's Grandmother's Christmas Candle, was previously published in the pages of the St. Nicholas magazine, in 1886. Whether the other, The Parson's Miracle, was written for this volume, is unclear to me. In any case, after releasing this fifth volume, the publisher went on to publish many more volumes in the series, written by various other authors, throughout the 1890s and into the early years of the twentieth century.
I found this an interesting addition to the series. I was surprised to see that it comprised two completely separate stories, as despite the title I would have assumed this brief 32-page book would contain one single short story, as the previous four volumes did. No illustrator is credited on the title page of the copy I read, however, a little digging online has revealed that the artwork—these books are heavily illustrated—were done by Frank Thayer Merrill and L.J. (Lewis Jesse) Bridgman. As with previous volumes, I enjoyed the visuals here, although perhaps not as much as I did Edith Scannell's work. The stories were entertaining—one humorous, the other suspenseful—and I was interested in the depiction of King Philip's War, as this is not a topic I see covered often, in children's fiction. The figure of Warmmesley-Squammaney, the medicine man figure with whom great-great-grandmother comes into conflict, is one stereotype after another—portrayed as a superstitious witch doctor, he speaks in broken English, is addicted to hard cider, and threatens revenge when balked of his objective. Great-great-great Grandmother is said to get on well with most of the Pocasset people—Weetamoo is even said to have brought her a gift—so it is only this character which is depicted this way. Still, it was on off-putting element in the tale, and likely to raise contemporary hackles.
On the whole, I don't think I liked this one as much as the preceding four volumes, whether because of some of the themes, or because I don't enjoy Butterworth's writing as much as Florence Scannell's, it would be difficult to say. Despite that fact, I am eager to read more in the series. I am going chronologically, so the next country to "visit" at Christmastime will be Norway, in Peter Christen Asbjørnsen 's 'Round the Yule-Log: Christmas in Norway....more
A German immigrant family move to a small New England town still dominated by the Puritan ethos in this lovely picture book from author/illustrator ToA German immigrant family move to a small New England town still dominated by the Puritan ethos in this lovely picture book from author/illustrator Tomie dePaola. Although no one in their new town celebrates Christmas in any visible way, the family are not deterred, making all of the necessary preparations—creating bayberry candles, gathering foodstuffs, carving a Nativity scene, making decorations, choosing a Christmas tree and greens, baking many kinds of cookies—in order to celebrate in their traditional way. With the house beautifully prepared, the family gather on Christmas Eve night to read the story of Jesus' birth from the Bible, and to sing their songs. Neighbors, listening and watching this odd "Christmas Family," are eventually inspired to adopt some of their traditions...
As a long-time fan of Tomie dePaola's work, I was not surprised to find myself enjoying An Early American Christmas immensely, although I do regret encountering it first as an adult, as I believe my childhood self would have loved it even more! I greatly enjoyed the way in which dePaola chronicled all of the many customs and activities engaged in by the family, and I found the overall theme of the book—an immigrant family bringing their own holiday customs to a new land, changing that land's customs for the better (I believe!)—both inspiring and valuable. Many young children today might not be aware that many of the customs we associate with Christmas today, here in the states, were not observed by many of our earliest settlers, particularly in New England. dePaola's book therefore provides an important history lesson, in addition to spinning a charming holiday tale, and teaching the value that immigrants can bring to their new countries. The accompanying artwork here, done in trademark dePaola style (one would recognize his illustrations anywhere!), is every bit as delightful as the story, making this a wonderful package, overall. Recommended to picture book readers looking for Christmas stories with a historical, American setting....more
When Lila and her family emigrate from Ireland to the United States in the 19th century, driven out of their homeland by an Gorta Mór—the Great FamineWhen Lila and her family emigrate from Ireland to the United States in the 19th century, driven out of their homeland by an Gorta Mór—the Great Famine—she and her younger siblings wonder whether Jack, the spirit said to haunt the streets on Halloween night, using a carved turnip lantern as a guide, will follow them to this new land. Despite assuring her siblings that Jack will indeed be coming to America, Lila discovers that the turnips necessary to make jack-o-lanterns, traditionally carved for Halloween night, are in short supply. Fortunately, in the process of meeting her new friend Julia, Lila discovers pumpkins, and a new tradition is born...
I was excited to learn about Lila and the Jack-o'-Lantern: Halloween Comes to America, as it is the first children's story I have encountered that addresses the historical root of the jack-o-lantern tradition, brought to these shores by Irish immigrants. Author Nancy Churnin appears to be exploring the origins of various holiday traditions in her picture books recently, highlighting how Christmas trees came to the English-speaking world in her 2018 The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England, and how Valentines Day cards came to be sent in the states, in Valentines for All: Esther Howland Captures America's Heart, published earlier this year. I found her narrative here engaging, although not as poignant as expected, given that this was an immigrant story. That said, I did find it very interesting, and appreciated the inclusion of the historical note at the rear, with the recipes for colcannon and barmbrack (other Halloween traditions!). The accompanying artwork from illustrator Anneli Bray, although not a stand-out in my opinion, was nevertheless cute. Recommended to picture book readers and audiences looking for Halloween stories with a historical setting, or to anyone seeking children's stories about the origin of the jack-o-lantern, and how it came to America....more
Thrown back in time from the mid-twentieth to the fourteenth centuries, English schoolboy Peter Staunton becomes Peter de Blois, eldest son and heir oThrown back in time from the mid-twentieth to the fourteenth centuries, English schoolboy Peter Staunton becomes Peter de Blois, eldest son and heir of Sir Roger de Blois, the lord of Carreg Cennan Castle, and one of the South Wales Marcher Lords who occupied that country after the Norman conquest. Soon deeply enmeshed in the life around him, Peter learns many things about medieval life, from the duties expected of him as a page to the art of falconry, the life of the Cistercian monks at nearby Valle Crucis Abbey to the finer points of jousting. When the native Welsh rise up in rebellion, he is in the thick of things, and his acts of bravery turn the tide of the battle...
Originally published in 1951, The Gauntlet was one of Ronald Welch's first books for children, written before he began his marvelous Carey Family series, which chronicles the adventures of members of the same landed Welsh family through many centuries of history. In many ways, I think it shows the author finding his feet, in terms of writing historical fiction for children. I enjoyed the story immensely, and think I would have really loved the book as a child reader, although the author's didactic purpose, when it comes to teaching young readers about various aspects of medieval life, does come through. This is natural of course, as Welch was also a history teacher, and the headmaster of a boys' school, and it didn't particularly bother me, as I took the "infodump" aspect of the narrative as a natural outgrowth of Peter's own unfamiliarity with the information in question.
My main critique of the book would be that I thought there was a missed opportunity to give the narrative a deeper emotional resonance, by creating a relationship between Peter and Glyndwr Llewellyn, the son of the local Welsh lord, and an unwilling page at Carreg Cennan. I was rather surprised that this didn't happen, as I was expecting something of the sort: a friendship that must be cut off when the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. But then, perhaps doing this would have distracted from Welch's purpose in writing the story: namely, informing young readers about medieval life. I did find Glyndwr's name interesting, as it immediately reminded me of Owain Glyndŵr, the great Welsh prince who led a revolt against the Norman/English during this same period. It's hard not to think that that choice was deliberate, on the author's part.
In any case, despite not being the equal of Welch's later books, this is one I would recommend to young readers who enjoy historical fiction and/or time-slip stories. If half stars were available, I would have given it a 3.5-star rating....more
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