From Publishers Weekly
Hennessy (The First Night) and Cravath (A My Name Is...) use a familiar rhyme to introduce first 10 pilgrims, then 10 Wampanoag, all of them children hard at work and all of them coming together for a feast at the end. Freely rendered, cheerful pictures belie the author's and illustrator's research into the daily lives of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag (e.g., for a spread about planting crops, Cravath shows a Wampanoag boy planting a fish; the informative endnotes include the explanation that the fish served as a type of compost). A spread of "1 big, 2 big, 3 big turkeys," etc., is superfluous, but the final picture of all 20 neighbors resolutely captures the festive and collaborative mood of the holiday. Ages 3-8. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2 Using the "one little, two little, three little" format, pilgrim youngsters are shown engaging in a variety of activities such as caring for a pig, gathering eggs, and writing letters on a slate. A larger illustration shows the 10 pilgrim boys and girls in a village scene. A similar pattern is followed for Wampanoag children who are shown separately gathering sticks, paddling a canoe, and gathering berries, with all 10 together in their village. The following pages alternate between the communities depicting everyone with a job to do. Finally, it is time to celebrate and Wampanoags and Pilgrims gather along with one big, two big, three big turkeys for the feast. The children are shown jointly preparing the meal, giving thanks in prayer, and eating. The tone is one of cheerful teamwork and no mention is made of the hardships of the era. Cartoon-style paintings create a playful mood. The author's note gives further details about the food that might have been eaten at the harvest celebration, but it is sometimes difficult to match the descriptions with the foods illustrated. The short, simple text and counting aspects make this dual-perspective account enjoyable to young children. Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
