The Copper Tin Cup [Hardcover]

Carole Lexa Schaefer (Author), Stan Fellows (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

A young boy enjoys drinking his cocoa from a special cup that has been passed down through several generations of his family.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A treasured heirloom inspires a boy's reverie about his forebears in this tender picture book celebrating the strength of family ties. To Sammy Carl, nothing tastes better than cocoa sipped from his favorite cupDthe copper tin one etched with the letters S and C ("S for Sammy. C for Carl . My name, my cup"). Although the cup seems to have been designed especially for him, Sammy knows it has had previous owners, beginning with his mother, Samantha Caroline, who used to drink lemonade from it. And years before that, the copper tin cup was crafted with love by Sammy's great-grandparents, Samuel and Carla. Schaefer's (The Squiggle) spare, smoothly flowing text clearly delineates the generations of one family, allowing young readers to grasp the idea of heritage. And mention of one relative's "long sea journey to the family's new home" may encourage youngsters to investigate their own roots. Identical in theme to Catherine Myler Fruisen's My Mother's Pearls (Children's Forecasts, May 15), this treatment is a bit more down-to-earth and features realistic illustrations. With soft, sometimes hazy watercolors, Fellows (The Dog Who Walked with God) creates an inviting family album, moving back through time to a 1960s kitchen, a 1930s-era farm and an early-20th-century passenger ship. His portraits exude an earnestness and warmth that have cross-generation appeal. Ages 4-8. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Sammy Carl drinks cocoa from a cup that has his initials, SC, engraved on it. It's a cup that fits perfectly into his small hand, a cup that seems made for him. Schaefer takes readers on a quiet journey back through four generations of children, each of whom thought of the cup as his or her own. The obvious love and respect that each generation shows for it is reflected through the simple, repetitive language that illustrates how an artifact becomes an heirloom. Fellows's watercolors in a palette of blues and greens beautifully capture the timelessness of the story and help set the overall mood of serenity. The layout of double-page spreads alternating with smaller, intimate portraits of each child gives the book a nice rhythm and helps to draw readers into the tale. Pair this with Patricia Polacco's Keeping Quilt (S & S, 1998) for a touching storyhour about heirlooms, family, and immigration.
Tali Balas, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763604712
• ISBN-13: 978-0763604714
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,981,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Family Tree, October 18, 2000

By 

Michael S Roberts - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Copper Tin Cup (Hardcover)

This warm, caring story is used to demonstrate that many special items have a long and special history. It made me think of items that have been passed down to me. I wonder where or how they originated. It would be a wonderful idea to start a family tradition. Great reading with a child or in a classroom that is discussing family heritage.