A Shaker's Dozen [Hardcover]

Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen (Author), Paul Rocheleau (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

Everything the Shakers made was simple in design, pure in form, and perfect in construction, reflecting their beliefs about life. A Shaker's Dozen celebrates the functional beauty of Shaker crafts as it leads young readers on an engaging journey through the numbers one to twelve. From Shaker brooms to homemade fruit pies and sturdy wooden tools, A Shaker's Dozen combines color photographs and a simple text to illuminate Shaker life, while captions offer more detailed information on the various objects. With an enlightening afterword on Shaker history, this book offers a vibrant snapshot of an important American craft tradition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Aspects of Shaker culture and crafts are portrayed in lovely photographs, both original and archival, in this striking but flawed counting book. Clean, open pages display artifacts and portraits, while a rhythmic narrative counts them from 1 to 12. Somewhat more detailed information about the items and the Shakers' beliefs is offered in smaller print at the bottom of each page. A brief history is appended along with a short bibliography. The problem comes in determining an audience for this book. While the simplicity of design makes it easy for younger children to count the objects presented, there is no numerical representation of the numbers, so it is not really a counting book. The additional information offered might assist adults sharing it with children in answering some of the questions that will surely arise, but gives only a minimal glance at the group. At best, this book might serve as an introduction to the people and their crafts. Most readers, however, will be better served by Raymond Bial's photo-essay Shaker Home (Houghton, 1994), Ann Turner's Shaker Hearts (HarperCollins, 1996), and Thorne-Thomsen's own Shaker Children: True Stories and Crafts (Chicago Review, 1996).
Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

This counting book takes readers from the numbers one to twelve in one long, rhythmic sentence that travels with the intrinsic taste of the Shakers, its subjects (one Shaker home, two Shaker doors, three Shaker doves, etc.), through their culture. The sentence ends, appropriately (given the group's dwindling numbers) at the notion of the Shakers eating pies ``as long as they are able at a long Shaker table.'' Every spread includes a brief factual comment on the objects shown, and, with the afterword, fill out the picture of Shaker life past and present. It's an evocative, elegantly simple book, to enrich arts and social history collections; with pictures of pies, dolls, hats, and tools, it also works for the learning-to-count crowd. (bibliography) (Picture book. 5-9) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811822990
• ISBN-13: 978-0811822992
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,573,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.