Thursday, June 26, 2008

Children's Book Review: Long-Long’s New Year

Long-Long’s New Year. Catherine Gower illus. He Zhihong. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 2005.

Take a ride with Long-Long, in Long-Long’s New Year, for his first trip to market with his grandfather as their family prepares for the Chinese New Year. Long-Long’s creativity and teamwork with Grandpa makes their day in town fruitful. After selling all their cabbages, they earn enough to return home with the supplies the family needs for the Spring Festival and a few special gifts. Explore the market with Long-Long and Grandpa in this unique exposition of Chinese culture.

Each turn of the page brings another artful double-page spread of traditional Chinese painting on tan rice paper. The last pages of the book offer the folktale of the first Chinese Spring Festival and a glossary of Chinese words used in the story including their characters. This book received a starred review from School Library Journal. Ages 5-8.

Reviewed by Charity Leonette, Special Services Coordinator, Allegheny County Library Association. This review was printed in The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Vo. 6(2) 2008. Available online at www.haworthpress.com.

Children's Book Review: Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O’Hara

Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O’Hara. Elvira Woodruff illus. Adam Rex. New
York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.

Discover how family memories travel around the world in the hem of a dress within the pages of Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O’Hara. Darcy Heart O’Hara notices small beauties while chores Granny and Mother ask of her are overdue. In 1845 during the hardships of the Irish Famine, Granddad delights the O’Hara children with stories around the fire and Granny spends quiet moments with Darcy in Ireland’s landscape. All the while Darcy gathers natural treasures throughout Pobble O’Keefe without spending a coin. After eviction from their land and home, the family’s future lies in free passage to America. Leaving her grandparents behind for the long voyage, Darcy’s stowaway riches recall the fragrance of family memories held dear including Granny humming and Granddad’s voice.

Lyrical text flows amidst memorable scenes of charcoal, graphite pencils, and oils on paper appear in various shapes and arrangements. Author notes include the story of Henry Ford whose family sailed from Ireland in 1847. End pages map the Atlantic journey. Ages 6-10.

Reviewed by Charity Leonette, Special Services Coordinator, Allegheny County Library Association. This review was printed in The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Vo. 6(2) 2008. Available online at www.haworthpress.com.

Children's Book Review: Gugu’s House

Gugu’s House. Catherine Stock. New York: Clarion Books, 2001.

Travel to Zimbabwe with Gugu’s House where Kukamba visits her grandmother’s “beautiful rambling house” with a courtyard of animal sculptures painted with the colors of the earth. In the hot day of a drought, Gugu teaches her granddaughter the art of gathering nature’s ingredients for mixing her palette of paints. As the sun sets, the men and women return to the village after a day of work. Around the fire laughter floats as Gugu tells a story of a rabbit and tortoise. Later that night, rain arrives, then singing, clapping, and dancing. When this blessing of rain washes away the colors of Gugu’s house, she reassures Kubamba with the colors of the renewed land.

From end page to end page, this book dances with African designs. Earthy watercolor illustrations capture the culture and people surrounding Gugu and Kukamba. At the end of the story, the author includes notes and a glossary which give insight on the real life Gugu as well as many Venda words used throughout the book. ‘Gugu’ is the Venda word for grandmother. Ages 5-8.

Reviewed by Charity Leonette, Special Services Coordinator, Allegheny County Library Association. This review was printed in The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Vo. 6(2) 2008. Available online at www.haworthpress.com.

Children's Book Review: The Friday Nights of Nana

The Friday Nights of Nana. Amy Hest illus. Claire A. Nivola. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2001.

Through windows of The Friday Nights of Nana, young Jennie narrates the story of treasured time with her grandmother preparing for the Sabbath. After tea and their favorite bread with “sweet peach jam,” they begin their preparations for the day, tidying, ironing, baking, and polishing while they talk. They eat and dance in the park over lunch, returning home with the finishing touch of flowers for the table. In their matching navy blue dresses, Nana and Jennie welcome the family with hugs. They all gather round as Nana lights the candles for Sabbath. With snow falling outside, the warmth of family fills these pages as they fill the seat around the dinner table for barley soup, challah, chicken, potatoes, and pie on a Friday night with Nana.

This Sabbath tale conveys a story of a Jewish grandmother sharing culture and tradition with her granddaughter, capturing the universality a child’s treasured times with a grandparent. Energetic text couples with illustrations of watercolor, pen and ink, boarded with white for glimpses into Jennie and Nana’s moments throughout the day. Regular double-page spreads offer a panoramic view. Ages 4-6.

Reviewed by Charity Leonette, Special Services Coordinator, Allegheny County Library Association. This review was printed in The Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Vo. 6(2) 2008. Available online at www.haworthpress.com.

Intergenerational Children's Book Reviews

Picture books offer a palette to explore topics of all kinds for children and audiences of all ages. Within these artful expressions of intergenerational and multigenerational relationships emerges the essence of culture passed from one generation to another and a breadth of culture providing an opportunity for readers to dialogue about their own culture.

In friendships between younger and older readers, cultural exchanges play a vital role in imparting ideas, skills, insights and experiences and generates an opportunity for discussion among readers about their own cultures. The following picture books for young children describes an intergenerational relationship within a specific culture. Each in its own way models to children the intergenerational experience and shows the value these connections can have in their lives.

Look for these books and others to add to both personal and professional collections.