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.