| Children’s
Book Reviews
By Selene S. Vasquez
Feast
upon a cornucopia of delectable books for the Thanksgiving holiday:
PICTURE BOOKS: AGES 6 THRU 8
 Milly
and the Macy’s Parade by Shana Corey. Illustrated by Brett
Helquist. (Scholastic, unpaged, $16.95).
The highlight of New York City’s holiday season is the stupendous
annual Macy’s Thanks-giving Day Parade. Set in 1924, a little
Polish immigrant girl outright proposes to Mr. Macy himself the
idea of a parade from Central Park to 34th street. Acrylic and
oil paintings feature the festive costumes, marching bands, and
big balloons so characteristic of this wonderful tradition.
The
Very First Thanksgiving Day
By Rhonda Gowler. Illustrated by Susan Gaber. (Atheneum, unpaged,
$15.95).
A rhyming and rollicking tribute to the first Thanksgiving celebration
in a “This is the house that Jack built” cumulative style. Double
page acrylic paintings engage the reader with realistic visions
of Native Americans, Pilgrims, the Mayflower Ship, and the infinite
ocean surrounding Plymouth Rock.
Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy
By Lisa Wheeler. Illustrated by Frank Ansley. (Atheneum, unpaged,
$15.95).
Turk is the much admired “He-bird” of turkeys, big and strong
as compared to his less endowed brother nicknamed “Runt”. One
fateful November day, however, a little old lady comes along and
decides Runt is just the right size for her holiday table. Can
the prized bird show more brains than brawn to rescue his brother?
Ink and watercolor cartoon illustrations provide an enjoyable
dose of silliness.
NONFICTION: AGES 6 THRU 10
Grandma
Maxine Remembers:
A Native American Family Story
By Ann Morris. Photos and illustrations by Peter Linenthal. (Millbrook
Press, 32 pp., $22.90).
A social worker at the Head Start Center, Grandma Maxine belongs
to the Shoshone tribe and lives on the Wind River Reservation
in Wyoming. She shares a special bond with her eight-year-old
granddaughter Shawnee, exploring the history and culture of their
people through crafting, cooking, preparing for powwows, and looking
through family photo albums. A straightforward photo essay portraying
contemporary life on a reservation.#
Selene
S. Vasquez is a media specialist at Orange Brook Elementary School
in Hollywood, Florida. She is formerly a children’s librarian
for the New York Public Library.
Education
Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001.
Tel: (212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919.Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express
consent of the publisher. © 2002.
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