Customer Reviews

Jam and Jelly by Holly and Nellie (Individual Titles)

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This book has lovely pictures as well as a captivating story. It chronicles a mother and young daughter's summer of picking and canning wild berries to save money to buy a much needed coat for the little girl. It heralds education and hard work as something important, worth striving after. The pictures are very true to nature and it includes the names of plants, birds, and wildlife in the story. The metaphors are beautiful. Your children will learn about nature, grammar, and character while reading a fun story.

My granddaughter (a city girl) and I snuggled
on the couch to read Jam and Jelly ... it was
a precious time to see the beautiful illustrations
and read the story of a family working together
well. Their hard work was more like an adventure
than a chore, and encouraged exploration and
respect. My granddaughter and I will use this
book for years to come as part of our bonding
and love for God's beauty in creation. The
hype in today's world seemed to fade away as Trisha
and I shared some precious time together exploring
with the author (Gloria Whelan) and illustrator
(Gijsbert van Frankenhuysen).

I collect children's books and this is one of my favorites. It is my 10 year old daughter's very favorite. It is not too long, so you can really enjoy the amazing artwork with your child as you read. The story is relates the importance of hard work and the joy of a well-earned reward. I still get misty-eyed at the end sometimes. I originally bought it because of the illustrator and then fell in love with the story. Beautiful gift, especially for girls.

Holly and her parents live in a remote part of northern Michigan where their livelihoods are closely linked to the changing seasons and the wildlife in the surrounding hills. School will start in a few months and Holly needs a new coat and boots, but her parents cannot afford them. Papa would rather that Holly stay home once winter arrives, but Mama, who herself missed quite some schooling due to poor weather when she was younger, insists the money will come from somewhere. After all, the hills have all sorts of berries ripe for the picking, and berries make the perfect ingredient in a variety of homemade goods that passers-by can purchase.

Beautifully illustrated with luxurious, lifelike paintings, this book makes an excellent vehicle for talking with children about budget constraints and savings. Even very small family businesses can generate enough money to finance some basic needs, as depicted in this simple but powerful story.

This book paints a wonderful picture of a family that struggles together to make things better for the next generation. While the father assumes that the daughter will be unable to attend school during the coldest months without a winter coat, the mother determines that she will find a way to afford the coat. The beauty of this story goes way beyond the beautiful pictures and the commitment to education. The greatness of this story lies in the family's commitment to each other--the father's support of the mother's plan; the mother's ability to persuade both her husband and daughter in ways that are meaningful to them; and the child's willingness to trust her parents' wisdom.

Additionally, I thought that this would be a great book to support an interdisciplinary study. There are references to plant and animal wildlife, seasonal changes, collecting money for specific goal, sociological issues (poverty, illiteracy), and family issues.

I bought the book as a gift for one of my daughter's classrooms. The teacher was so happy to get the book that I decided to read it before giving it to her. I loved it. My girls loved it. Its a great story about Michigan - where we live and where the author lives as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.