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THE STARS IN MY GEDDOH'S SKY

Name: THE STARS IN MY GEDDOH'S SKY
Author: Claire Sidhom Matze
ISBN: 0-8075-5332-8

by Claire Sidhom Matze ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1999

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A summertime visit from his grandfather reveals to a young boy the history of his ancestry. When Alex first meets his grandfather, or geddoh, he is anxious. However, they soon develop a close rapport as his grandfather tells him about life across the sea. Geddoh shows Alex some of the customs of his Middle Eastern culture: making a traditional noontime meal, the five daily calls to prayer. In turn Alex teaches his grandfather a bit of American culture, such as playing baseball. Alex may be distraught when the visit ends, but Geddoh promises that they can share the majesty of the evening sky even while they are far apart. “Your sky, your moon, your stars are mine, too, habibi, my dear. And as you look up . . . my thoughts will fly to you.” Farnsworth’s graceful oil illustrations are done in muted pastels, portraying the images in a soft focus. Matze’s lyrical descriptions of Geddoh’s homeland paint a vivid picture of a remote culture; within the poignant tale of a young boy’s deepening relationship with his grandfather is a powerful message of the enduring nature of a love that cannot be diminished by time or space. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-8075-5332-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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KEVIN AND HIS DAD

by Irene Smalls ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1999

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There is something profoundly elemental going on in Smalls’s book: the capturing of a moment of unmediated joy. It’s not melodramatic, but just a Saturday in which an African-American father and son immerse themselves in each other’s company when the woman of the house is away. Putting first things first, they tidy up the house, with an unheralded sense of purpose motivating their actions: “Then we clean, clean, clean the windows,/wipe, wipe, wash them right./My dad shines in the windows’ light.” When their work is done, they head for the park for some batting practice, then to the movies where the boy gets to choose between films. After a snack, they work their way homeward, racing each other, doing a dance step or two, then “Dad takes my hand and slows down./I understand, and we slow down./It’s a long, long walk./We have a quiet talk and smile.” Smalls treats the material without pretense, leaving it guileless and thus accessible to readers. Hays’s artwork is wistful and idyllic, just as this day is for one small boy. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: April 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-316-79899-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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MY POP POP AND ME
by Irene Smalls & illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson

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MY NANA AND ME
by Irene Smalls & illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson

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DON’T SAY AIN’T
by Irene Smalls & illustrated by Colin Bootman

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ME AND MY FAMILY TREE

by Joan Sweeney ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 1999

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PLB 0-517-70967-8 Me And My Family Tree (32 pp.; $13.00; PLB $14.99; May; 0-517-70966-X; PLB 0-517-70967-8): For children who are naturally curious about the people who care for them (most make inquiries into family relationships at an early age), Sweeney explains, with the assistance of a young narrator, the concept of a family tree. Photographs become understandable once the young girl learns the relationships among family members; she wonders what her own family tree will look like when she marries and has children. A larger message comes at the end of this story: not only does she have a family tree, but so does everyone in the world. Cable’s drawings clearly define the process of creating a family tree; she provides a blank tree so children can start on their own geneaology.(Picture book. 5-7)