The Wedding [Library Binding]

Angela Johnson (Author), David Soman (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1999 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Daisy describes the preparations leading up to her older sister's wedding and the joyous and bittersweet feelings surrounding the event itself.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Here comes the brideAand her younger sister, the flower girl, who offers a glimpse of what it's like to prepare for and participate in a family wedding. From trying on wedding gowns, to tasting the food that will be served at the reception and looking at party spaces, the young African-American narrator sees it all. Now Sister and Jamal's big day is here. The flower girl alternates between happiness and sadness: she's glad to be taking part in the joyous celebration, yet sorry to see her older sister leave home. Johnson's (Toning the Sweep) poetic language effectively captures the emotional roller-coaster that weddings set in motion, as seen from a kid's point of view. But her verb tenses may befuddle readers, who will wonder if the narrator is imagining the proceedings or has already experienced the event, and some of the more lyrical phrasing adds to the confusion ("I will dance with Jamal there,/ who will take Sister from me/ and us/ and here-/ but leave them together"). Soman (When I Am Old with You) judiciously accents his cut-paper collage illustrations with pencil, which allows him to vary the sharpness of detail and to zoom in on certain characters in each scene. His wide array of cut papers brings a spectrum of color, texture and pattern to the warm proceedings here. Though the development of events zigzags, the story's emotional through line keeps the book on course. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Through the eyes of young Daisy, readers experience and anticipate the preparations for her sister's wedding-"Long dresses, flowers, wrapped boxes, and tissue-paper rooms-with everybody saying 'Congratulations.'" The simple text follows Daisy and her family as they celebrate and then say a tearful good-bye to Sister. The last page shows the whole family looking at the wedding photos. As in other books by these collaborators, such as When I Am Old With You (1990), One of Three (1991), and Tell Me a Story, Mama (1989, all Orchard), the illustrations portray a warm, loving African-American family. The distinguished collage artwork conveys the action and the whole range of emotions that the day entails. Both text and illustrations work together to create a seamless experience that is happy, sad, and tender all at once. A perfect book for preparing for that special day.
Joan Zaleski, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY) (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531331393
• ISBN-13: 978-0531331392
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,263,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 4, 2006

By 

Johnnetta Miller (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wedding (Hardcover)

This book allows the reader to experience all the preparations of a wedding through the eyes of a child. Additionally, we are able to see how Daisy evolves from the excitement of the wedding planning to sadness, once realizing her sister is leaving. The illustrator does an excellent job of capturing her emotions!