Black-eyed Susan: A novel [Unknown Binding]

Jennifer Armstrong (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2001

A lyrical novel about a day in the life of a young pioneer girl growing up on the Dakota prairie is now available in a Knopf Paperback edition. This widely praised and beautifully crafted tale deftly evokes the vast expanse of the American West, the hardships faced by pioneer families, and the strong bonds of family and community.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ten-year-old Susie revels in the natural beauty of the vast prairie surrounding her family's sodhouse in the Dakota Territory, but her mother-depressed and homesick for her native Ohio-refuses to go outdoors. In Armstrong's (King Crow; Steal Away) characteristically lyrical language, Susie ponders her mother's "lonesomeness": "Perhaps it had been growing like a seed, and was blooming at last with a pale flower and a sad perfume. All I knew was that Ma never laughed anymore, hardly spoke, seldom smiled." On a trip to town with her father, Susie futilely combs the mercantile for "something cheerful" for her mother. Ma brightens up a bit that evening, when a warm, merry family of Montana-bound homesteaders from Iceland spends the night, giving a canary as a gift. And in the dramatic concluding scene, Susie convinces the woman to come out on the roof of their home to greet the rising sun. With her prairie setting and poetic narrative, Armstrong steps into Patricia MacLachlan territory, but her footing is less sure. While the novel is illuminating in its view of a pioneer family, its many descriptive passages and reminiscences leave the work short on action and too slow-moving for most readers in the targeted age group. Ages 9-14.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Told in a highly readable text that is almost poetic at times, the story has a satisfying roundness that will elicit contented sighs from young readers."--The Horn Book


From the Trade Paperback edition. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Unknown Binding: 120 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; 1st Yearling ed edition (2001)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0006RO5RG
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars simple yet rich, in both writing and content, November 8, 2007

By 

S. Draper (Berwyn Heights, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black-Eyed Susan (Paperback)

I only read this because my mother gave it to me because my name is Susan. I was surprised at how much I wanted to know how Susie was going to cheer up her mother. I was surprised at how much I liked it's tone and style. It is warm and thoughtful. But very simple and straightforward.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books I Have Ever Read, June 6, 2006

By 

L. Mintah "Author of the Heart" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black-Eyed Susan (Paperback)

Black-Eyed Susan is a book adults and children will enjoy equally. The seeming simplicity of the tale belies rich poetic images that took my breath away. The tenderness and love with which the characters interact with one another will make you feel warm all over, and maybe a renewed hope for humankind. The theme is also unusual for a children's book - Susan's mother is suffering from depression, although no one at that time knew what it was. How her daughter rouses her out of it, with the help of a chance encounter with strangers, is extremely powerful and moving.

Armstrong has thoroughly researched the time period this story takes place in, and it flows naturally so the reader feels she is right there in the story. Lovely illustrations add to the mood.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book I've read in ages, August 6, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Black-Eyed Susan (Hardcover)

This book is so cool !!! It is very educational yet very good also, I would recommend this book to anyone out there.This book is a real page-turner.I also think this author has a lot of potential