Charming, warming girl power in early-20th-century immigrant New York.
Batya couldn’t be a woodcarver back in the old country, but maybe she can be one in the golden land of New York City.
In 1915 Russia, 12-year-old Batya isn’t allowed to apprentice to her woodcarver father. Her older brother, who lacks interest in the work, must nonetheless learn the trade. Batya’s life turns upside down when pogroms descend on their village, making it unsafe for her Jewish family to stay in Russia. After a journey that’s depressing and lovely by turns, Batya discovers she’s miserable in New York. Her baby sister’s gone deaf on the ship, the tenement they live in is ugly and cramped, and Batya struggles to learn English. Worst of all, there’s no time to whittle, and Papa can’t find a job carving, either. Eventually, Batya’s misery leads her into adventures that improve not only her life, but also her whole family’s. Her journey to become a woodcarver is framed from beginning to end with a lovely appreciation for the artistry of carousel horses. Some historical details are simplified, but for the most part these choices harmlessly ease the way for contemporary readers. Unfortunately, the narrative supports the urban legend that names were changed at Ellis Island by callous officials, which serves no storytelling purpose here. Non-English words are inconsistently italicized.
Charming, warming girl power in early-20th-century immigrant New York. (historical note, timeline, glossary) (Historical fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: April 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5415-8667-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
Prefaced by a full-page close-up portrait, each of Arato’s nine short tales describes a watershed day in the life of a young person in a different part of the world and a time between the eighth and 14th centuries. In locales ranging from the Mayan city of Tikal and Tang Dynasty China to Timbuktu and Toledo, the children enjoy a ball game or a joust, visit a doctor, get married, make friends and like familiar experiences. The best and least purpose-driven of the lot is the closing episode, in which a young Spanish apprentice discovers that his loving master is a converso (a secret Jew) but reaches a wordless understanding with him. Because the settings aren’t described in close detail and in Ferguson’s pictures all of the children sport similar features and the same faraway look, readers will get a better feeling for the various societies’ commonalities than their differences. Still, each story is supplemented by a map and a spread of background facts, and overall the collection may pique readers' interest in finding out more about some of these realms and eras. (Informational fiction. 9-11)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-897349-94-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Maple Tree Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 25, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2010
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Shame on you, Gerald Morris, for treating the Matter of Britain with insufficient solemnity.
Prophecies. A young knight learns that they’re just not to be trusted in this fourth of the light-hearted Arthurian Knights’ Tales.
A seeress’ ominous prediction that he would grow up to be known as the noblest knight in England but bring misfortune to all his companions and deliver the Dubious…er, Dolorous Stroke weighs heavily on Sir Balin of the Two Swords—but, in the end, proves less accurate than his own mother’s prediction that he’d grow up to marry a nice northern girl. This last happens after much knightly questing, a certain amount of slaughter, plenty of side banter and fateful meetings with both Balin’s skeptical brother Sir “Oh, put a cork in it!” Balan and levelheaded Lady Annalise, the Questing Lady. Said banter shows off to excellent advantage Morris’ability to put a 21st-century spin on the ancient legends: “ ‘I bring this enchanted sword, seeking the one knight who is able to draw it from its sheath!’ ‘Stuck, is it?’ asked Sir Kay. ‘I used to have a sword that would do that,’ said another knight. ‘Have you tried jiggling the hilt?’ ” Renier liberally salts the short chapters with scenes of armored knights looking startled or vigorously clobbering one another.
Shame on you, Gerald Morris, for treating the Matter of Britain with insufficient solemnity. (Snicker.) (Fantasy. 9-11)Pub Date: April 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-547-68085-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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