Back in their small seaside village in Holland, Bram and Mama snuggle up in the morning chair, talking about the cowboys, mountains, and bears they'll find in America. But when they and Papa set sail for America in 1950, they settle in a bustling, crowded city of tall buildings, taxicabs, and people who speak a strange language. Bram feels as empty as their empty apartment-but then their furniture arrives from Holland. From the familiar Dutch chair Bram and Mama listen to their new neighbors in America, and Mama shows Bram that America is big enough for Bram and Papa and Mama and all things Dutch. A simple, reassuring story, it is complemented by striking full- color paintings.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3?More a mood piece than a story, this tale of a family's immigration to the U.S. retains the naivete and freshness of a child's perspective. Bram and his parents leave their small town in Holland to settle in New York City, and the narrative highlights the poignant incidents of this experience. Missing the familiar sights, sounds, and tastes of home, and trying to adjust to the different way of life that confronts all newcomers, Bram still manages to keep his spirits up. Although he refuses to like green olives ("typically American" fare), and searches in vain for a glimpse of the promised mountains and cowboys, he finds comfort in the familiarity of possessions from home. Especially important is the morning chair in which he and his mother share cups of tea with milk, Dutch cookies, and quiet time. The complexity of the emigration experience is conveyed to young readers in the simplicity of the warm text. Sewall's softly colored gouache illustrations, with objects and figures framed in hazy black outlines, complement the childlike mood of the narrative. They also emphasize the softness of the sentiments expressed. Although this book will not keep young listeners on the edge of their seats, it will be a useful accompaniment to family history and/or immigration studies.?Martha Rosen, Edgewood School, Scarsdale, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Ages 5^-8. Based on her husband's experience emigrating from Holland to the U.S. as a young boy in 1950, Joosse's story juxtaposes the familiar sights and sounds left behind with the jarringly foreign images confronting Bram in his new home. The "soft sounds of neighbors" are overpowered by the noises of New York City; neighborly faces waving greetings are lost to hurrying people "looking at their feet and not at Bram." Then, finally, the family's furniture arrives, turning the stark, new apartment into a comforting home and allowing Bram to start his days sitting with his mother in their "morning chair." Bram no longer feels threatened by his new surroundings, which, once harsh, now hold the promise of welcome. The soft-edged gouache art is deceptively simple, its economical strokes conveying the emotion of upheaval and the drama of the journey. Even the use of colors heightens Bram's sense of isolation and intensifies the vivid images of his memories. Ellen Mandel
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More About the Author
Barbara Joosse is the author of the ever-popular Mama, Do You Love Me?, along with many other books for young readers. She lives in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good story about moving,
By Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Morning Chair (Hardcover)
Bram isn't just moving, of course, he's immigrating - from Holland to NYC! (I'm a sucker for any book mentioning my city.) The book neatly captures the anxiety most children would have at this sort of upheaval... and the comfort of having your old things with you when you notice new things (like policemen on horses) that you like about your new home.It's a bit wordy. Maybe not suited for the wigglier set.
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