In an appealing amalgam of history, fiction, and crafts, Greenwood (The Last Safe House, 1998, etc.) mixes together a story about a family preparing for and celebrating Thanksgiving in 1841; recipes and graces; instructions for making a basket, corn doll, and weathervane; information about nuts and cranberries; games; and a history of the holiday, with the reasons for the celebration. Collins’s drawings perfectly complement this invigorating treatment of history; children are likely to pore over this book for hours, and will want to try out the very accessible activities. This would be the perfect book to have on hand, along with materials for the crafts, for group or family use, to help while away the hours before dinner is ready. (index) (Anthology. 7-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-55074-744-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A young bear cub, Bertie, decides he wants to stay up for Christmas when his non-hibernating friends regale him with tales of snow, honey cakes, and a white-bearded man with gifts. After devising a plan in which he attempts to sleep as much as possible prior to the change of seasons (much to his unsuspecting mother’s bafflement) and with the aid of Mrs. Bear’s alarm clock, Bertie finds himself awakened in the midst of winter. After a sudden snow squall causes him to lose his way in the forest, Bertie is rescued and returned home by a kindly old man in a sled. Bertie reluctantly acknowledges that all bears must hibernate in winter, and Santa promises that he will stop by the bear household next year. Landa and Scharff-Kniemeyer depict a child’s sense of discovery through Bertie, who dances among the snowflakes and slowly realizes that he is riding with Santa himself. The colorful illustrations feature a winsome blend of tenderness, humor, and keen appreciation for a child’s boundless curiosity. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-888444-60-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999
paper 0-440-41499-7 When Mike learns that he will be spending Easter at his grandmother’s house on Staten Island, he worries that the Easter Bunny will be unable to locate him and deliver goodies. A well-planned story line weaves together several humorous episodes: an attempt to find E.B. Rabbit’s telephone number in the local directory, the creation of a detailed geographic map and colorful signs, plus a heartfelt letter that includes vital information like the color of his grandmother’s front door. Weston’s full-color illustrations capture Mike’s fears, doubts, determination, and final joy; Winters’s book comforts children and reminds them of the power of belief. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Feb. 9, 1999
ISBN: 0-385-32596-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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