Grandmother Bryant's Pocket [Paperback]

Jacqueline Briggs Martin (Author), Petra Mathers (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2000 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

After Sarah loses her dog in a fire, her nightmares begin. In her story of healing, a one-eyed cat, a gaggle of unfriendly geese, and the special things in Grandmother Bryant's pocket turn out to be just the cure for Sarah's bad dreams.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in 1787, this inspiring story tells of a girl's grief at the loss of her dog, and the gradual healing process she undergoes. Eight-year-old Sarah Bryant is racked by nightmares after her beloved Patches dies in a fire, and so her parents send her to stay with her grandparents. Grandfather Bryant tells Sarah wonderful stories and Grandmother gives Sarah her pocket (a purse worn under a skirt), which is filled with medicinal herbs, bandages, scissors and two gold buttons. In the company of a one-eyed cat she begins to mend, and when the pocket is lost and stolen, Sarah helps recover it and grows stronger still. Martin's (Good Times on Grandfather Mountain) eloquent text has the force of a prose poem. Garlanded with bright images ("she carried gossip in her pocket"), the narrative advances with an old-fashioned sensibility, character-driven and telling its story in its own good time. Mathers's (Kisses from Rosa) bold yet delicate illustrations seem to have stepped out of a colonial fairy tale. They combine precision with charm, evoking a certain naivete, and work well within the book's small, 5"x7" format. A pleasingly timeless historical tale. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4?A story set in Maine in 1787. Eight-year-old Sarah Bryant has been plagued by nightmares since the family barn burned down and her beloved dog died in the fire. Her parents send her to stay with her grandparents, in hopes that Grandmother Bryant will be able to help the child. But nothing works until the day two things happen: a one-eyed cat moves in and grandmother gives Sarah the pocket in which she keeps her medicinal herbs. The girl wears it during the day and tucks it under her pillow at night, pleased with the comforting scent of rosemary and the purring of the cat beside her. The bad dreams stop. A happier Sarah goes home wearing the healing pocket and carrying the cat. Martin's straightforward narrative can be enjoyed as a read-aloud or by independent readers. The pocket-size dimensions of the book fit the story and its potential readers well. The text is divided into small sections with headings, making it a pre-chapter book. Delightful, bright watercolor illustrations in a folk-art style show many interesting details about farm life at the end of the 18th century. An illustrated appendix describes the herbs mentioned in the text and their uses.?Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT
Copyright 1996 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 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (March 27, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618033092
• ISBN-13: 978-0618033096
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.6 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,227,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of Snowflake Bentley, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal. She grew up on a farm in Maine and now she lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.