Amish Home (Sandpiper paperbacks) [Paperback]

Raymond Bial (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 1995 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Sandpiper paperbacks

Strong, lyrical photographs and sensitive text detail the life of the Amish, showing their homes, traditions, and handiworks, all of which display the strength and practical optimism by which they live.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In carefully composed color photographs, Bial ( County Fair ; Corn Belt Harvest ) meanders through the simple ways of a people seemingly clinging to the 19th century--a striking contrast, youngsters will find, to their accustomed 20th-century technology. From black-box buggies to colorful quilts and clothing (though patterns are not allowed, bright hues are acceptable), the Amish devotion to "plain" and avoidance of "convenience" is illustrated by common artifacts. (No people are glimpsed in these pages: while the Amish object to having their pictures taken, they do not mind if their "worldly goods" are photographed.) Although Bial's unadorned photographs may lie beyond young readers' sensitivities, parts of the text should prove absorbing. ("During their teenage years, many Amish boys go through a wild period called rumpaspringa . . . They may soup up their buggies with plastic reflectors, stereos, carpeting, dashboards, and speedometers.") As the photographs focus on modest material objects, the text ably attends to the unseen objects of Amish life. Bits of Amish history, agriculture, environmental attitudes and education are presented in an all-important context of humility, community and productivity. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-- An attractive and compelling photo-essay of the Amish. Their religion prohibits the making of human images, so the full-color photos depict all but the people themselves. While this may, at first, make readers believe they are missing out on something, in fact, the opposite is true. There are cozy kitchens, lovingly tended gardens, prized horses, and rolling landscapes. As well as being informative, these photographs create a mood through which readers enter another lifestyle. They will almost hear the quiet voices in the next room, laughter of children outside, or the steady clip-clop of horses' hoofs on the nearby road. The text is brief; more detailed information can be found in Ammon's Growing Up Amish (Atheneum, 1989) or Naylor's An Amish Family (Amereon, 1986). What sets this book apart is its outstanding photographs. They are clear, well composed and harmoniously arranged, allowing viewers to savor their beauty. Bial clearly demonstrates his deep respect for these people and their complex system of values. --Alexandra Marris, Rochester Public Library, NY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (March 24, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395720214
• ISBN-13: 978-0395720219
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,133,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Raymond Bial (pronounced Beal) is the author and photo-illustrator of more than one hundred critically-acclaimed books for children and adults, including Amish Home, Frontier Home, The Underground Railroad, Where Lincoln Walked, One-Room School, Ghost Towns of the American West, Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side, Nauvoo: Mormon City on the Mississippi River, The Super Soybean, and many others. A skilled photographer, he works with ease in both color and in black and white. Working with both film cameras and digital equipment, he is best known for his versatility in portraiture, landscapes, and still lifes, and his sensitivity toward the people, places, and objects portrayed in his images.
The subjects of Raymond's books range from farm life to American social and cultural history. Appealing to young and old alike, his books are ideal choices for parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians to share with children. His most recent photo-essays are Ellis Island: Coming to the Land of Liberty, and Nauvoo: Mormon City on the Mississippi River, published by Houghton-Mifflin, and The Super Soybean, published by Albert Whitman. He has also written three popular collections of mystery fiction for children: The Fresh Grave and Other Ghostly Stories, The Ghost of Honeymoon Creek, and most recently Shadow Island: A Tale of Lake Superior, published by Bluehorse Books. His books have received numerous awards from the American Library Association, National Council of Teachers of English, Children's Book Council, and many other organizations. He lives with his wife, Linda, and children, Sarah and Luke, in Urbana, Illinois. His daughter Anna, who illustrated two of Raymond's books, is a fashion designer in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very good book to begin the understanding of the life., May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Amish Home (Sandpiper paperbacks) (Paperback)

THIS BOOK IS A VERY GOOD PRICED BOOK, OF THE BEGINNINGS OF A VERY DIFFERENT AND OLD WAY OF THE LIFE, THE AUTHOR IS VERY EXPANITORY IN HIS WRITINGS, I RECAMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO ENJOYS READING OF THESE UNIQUE PEOPLE. THIS BOOK IS NOT VERY LONG, BUT, GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great photographs of an Amish household!, September 10, 2008

By 

E. Bunt "Christopher'sWings" (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Amish Home (Hardcover)

This is a terrific book for kids.. (and adults, I loved it)

Children will get introduced to a very different culture through vivid photographs. The differences in the amish home and ours may start a wonderful conversation ,possibly teaching young children that life can be lived without constant TV, and computer games!?

I would love to see this book in all elementary school libraries.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amish Home, September 9, 2008

By 

Y. Taft "wader bird" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Amish Home (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully presented book with superb photographs and sensitive text. It gives an insight into Amish homes and a glimpse into their way of life. Raymond Bial has answered some of the questions about these people and their lives while always respecting their privacy and beliefs which is as it should be. Highly recommended.