From Publishers Weekly
Johnson's (Julius; Toning the Sweep) cryptic tale suggests questions, then leaves it wholly to the reader to answer them. Told by the older of two siblings who live with their white father and African American mother, the story opens on an affectionate note: "The sun shines brighter through the front window in our house since The Aunt came. It makes us warmer in winter." The child tells how The Aunt helps Mama weave blankets and rugs, lets the youngsters play her trumpet and encourages them to splash in puddles barefoot. Yet this apparently sunny woman spends some days gazing silently out the window, which brings the nebulous comment from Mama that The Aunt misses her home. Intentionally vague, the text leaves readers wondering why and for how long the Aunt has come to stay, and why she is occasionally so sad. Well-matched to the expressiveness of the narrative, Soman's (illustrator of Johnson's The Leaving Morning, see p.106) watercolor and pastel illustrations appear to move in and out of focus, depending on the mood of the moment, and effectively convey the characters' changeable emotions. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3? "The Aunt" comes to stay with the narrator's family, and "me and Sister" appreciate her mysterious presence. The siblings' parents are artists; their white father paints the woman's portrait while their African American mother teaches her to weave. Readers recognize and care about this family from page to page, but there are many questions that the text does not answer. Is The Aunt really Daddy's sister, or is the title conferred by love? And why is she there? Young children often accept house guests without question, as do these characters. But readers may wonder what is really going on in this enigmatic tale. Soman's well-designed watercolor-and-pastel illustrations render faces authentically and attractively. Whatever the reason for The Aunt's arrival, this exuberant family happily absorbs the woman's trumpet playing, tolerates her moods sympathetically, and appreciates the sun finally shining in her face. Curious readers will just have to trust that everything works out.?Susan Hepler, Alexandria City Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
