Actors from the Plimoth Plantation Restoration and members of the Wampanoag tribe reenact an early harvest celebration in this glossy photo essay set in Plymouth Colony in 1621. The story, loosely based on letters and other historic documents, is told in two voices on alternate pages by Dancing Moccasins, a 14-year-old Wampanoag and Resolved White, a six-year-old English boy. Photographs on every page compare and contrast the appearance and activities of the people. Both actors and Wampanoag appear self-conscious and stiff. Though the dialogue is spiced with information on food, food preparation, games, and activities it is often wooden and unconvincing. For example, Resolve says: “Mother calls me home. I help cook, since the celebration will last several days. As swiftly as I can, I grind corn for samp while mother roasts one of the ducks I plucked.” Elsewhere, Dancing Moccasin says: “Some of the men dance to the songs. They do the warrior’s dance. I can see the English boy watching from the hill.” Literally accurate perhaps, but not enough information to be helpful for young readers. Endnotes give additional information about food, clothing, and thanksgiving customs of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag. There is a word on the actors and contemporary members of the Wampanoag and a glossary of words as well as a few titles for additional reading. Purchase where other titles by Waters in the “Children of 1620’s” series are popular. (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-24395-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Chelm, the legendary Jewish town of fools, is the setting of Kimmel’s (The Runaway Tortilla, see below, etc.) Jewish holiday tales, only two of which are based on traditional Yiddish stories. The others are original or adaptations of stories from other traditions. All of them feature the “wise” fools whose naïveté gets them into strange situations and provides amusing solutions to their dilemmas. Some of the eight stories work better than others. “The Jar of Fools,” “Silent Samson, the Maccabee,” two traditional stories, and “The Soul of a Menorah,” written by Kimmel, are humorous, with surprise endings. “The Magic Spoon” is an adaptation of the stone soup story in which the stranger makes potato pancakes rather than soup. Other stories are less satisfying. Characters and plot strain for credibility—“How They Play Dreidel in Chelm” may lose its point for those readers who do not already know how the dreidel game is played. Gerstein’s (The Wild Boy, 1998, etc.) ink drawings on oil paint create a fantastic setting in which the characters wear rollerskates, snowshoes, bunny slippers, or duck feet. They sport bananas or fish necklaces, pots for hats, medieval ruffs, and costumes of every sort. Each illustration has fantastic details that transcend time and place. Page borders appropriate to the theme of the story help to break the dense format. An uneven collection, but a few of the stories will provide short seasonal read-alouds. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-8234-1463-9
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
Inspired by the story of St. Francis of Assisi as well as a visit to the frescoes of Giotto, the author combines an original creation tale on the naming of the animals with a retelling of the Christmas story. He begins with a description of the humble patron saint of animals, who called them his brothers, and the birds his sisters, spoke to, understood, and always cared for God’s creatures. Continuing his story, he tells about the day when St. Francis met the donkey who was complaining about his ugly voice. St. Francis tells the donkey a creation story in which the donkey gets long ears, a stubby tail, and an ugly voice for ridiculing other animals as God created them. St. Francis then comforts him, reminding the donkey of the important part he played in carrying Mary and Jesus to Bethlehem. The elegant, flat paintings of St. Francis and the animals convey a sense of 13th-century Italian art. The title page shows a gold triptych with St. Francis, the Nativity, and the donkey. Often the text or illustrations appear with elaborate, decorative borders that call to mind illuminated manuscripts. In keeping with the simple life of the saint, his own pages are filled with natural elements and those borders are simple, growing things. While the illustrations influenced by the past are handsome, the most compelling image is the last blue-and-white double-page spread, which shows St. Francis and the donkey, snow, sky, shadows, stillness, and star. The author provides a detailed afterword about his sources and his subject, and includes an annotated bibliography. Lovely. (Fiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-525-46480-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2000
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