SCENES FROM CHILDHOOD

by Mary Bruce Sharon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 26, 1979

According to the introduction by her daughter, Mary Bruce Sharon (1878-1961) began to paint scenes from her childhood when she was in her seventies, and it is a selection of these ""primitive"" paintings, provided with descriptive captions, that constitutes the present book. While all share, to some extent, the charm of old-fashioned things minutely depicted in bright colors, their ""story"" value is limited, and they would be at least as agreeable displayed without the text. Written by Mrs. Sharon's daughter in her mother's voice (and, ostensibly, her mother's words), it tends to sound smug, even prissy (""I was a very domestic child, and cooking has always been one of my favorite pursuits""), and not infrequently snobbish, especially when prattling about Paris clothes, New York hotels, and fashionable relations. And, of course, there's little continuity. But Sitting Bull, visited on a Kansas reservation (""It seemed to me if he changed his name to Running Bull he might have had a better time and maybe even escaped""), and Tom Thumb and Buffalo Bill, seen in the circus, might redeem this for some youngsters; and the circus scene--as well as Grandpa's kitchen, the Christmas dinner, and a few others--makes an eye-filling spectacle.

Pub Date: Oct. 26, 1979

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1979

Categories: CHILDREN'S