Customer Reviews

Tales of a Gambling Grandma

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked up the book in the library and began reading for the strange title... By the end I was just in tears at the wonderful story and reminded me of my grandma and my relationship with her. Great story that is entertaining for both adults and children, and hopefully will encourage children to cherish their time with their grandma.

One illustration in this otherwise innocent tale clearly depicts Gypsies as "wood people" who, the text says, will "take" children if they wander into the forest. It is unfortunate to see such blatant stereotyping --- in an age when the Romany (Gypsy) population of Eastern Europe is the target of more hate crime than at any time since the Holocaust. It's too bad that so many children's authors remain completely insensitive to the slavery and poverty suffered by the Rom. Discerning readers can help by avoiding books that include any kind of sterotyping.

---Alyssa A. Lappen

This is a very sweet reminiscence of the author's immigrant grandma, who embraced life fully. She played poker with Dutch Schultz's gang while her plumber husband fixed their toilets. While she cared for the author as a child she passed along the wisdom she'd accumulated. Advice like "Never, ever go into the woods alone because the gypsies will get you or, should you escape that cruel fate, you'll fall down a hole." Or, "Just in case the Cossacks come to Queens, learn to say 'Da' and always keep plenty of borscht in the refrigerator." As a senior citizen she took the train from New York to California, where she could always find a poker game. When the author was old enough, she taught her to play poker as well. The author's illustrations of the way she imagined her grandmother's stories are a delight. Loving respect informs every page. The author was lucky to have such a grandma, and we are lucky to share her story.