Shy Mama's Halloween (Paperback)

by Broyles Anne (Author), Leane Morin (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Recently arrived from Russia, Anya and her sibs are looking forward to their first Halloween. When Papa arrives home plainly under the weather, shy Mama consents to take them, and off they go. The concluding spread, with background information and discussion questions, reveals the didactic intent here, but the tale is told without lecturing, and by the end, Anya and her mother are feeling more connected to the culture of their new home. Morin's restrained, realistic urban scenes give this a 1940s or early-1950s feel; it's definitely an old-style Halloween, as the children's treats are all unpackaged goods. Halloween may not be the safest choice for a tale of this ilk: other books about acclimation through holiday celebrations, such as Elisa Bartone's American, Too (1996), will ruffle fewer feathers. But the holiday's controversial aspects are downplayed, and children who blithely assume that trick-or- treating is part of everyone's cultural heritage will get some food for thought. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Teachers' Choice Award for Children's Books" -- Learning Magazine, 2002

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884482456
• ISBN-13: 978-0884482451
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,748,217 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much More Than a Halloween Book, October 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Shy Mama's Halloween (Hardcover)

SHY MAMA'S HALLOWEEN is more of a book about belonging than a holiday book. By exploring a Russian immigrant family's first experience of an American holiday, we see how through trick-or-treating with her children, Mama ("who was shy even in the old country") begins to feel that she belongs in this new country. Halloween, with its costumes and darkness, is a great equalizer. Accents and other differences don't matter. Mama's love for her children draws her past her own timidity about America and leads her into the Halloween streets, and into American life. One of the best parts of this book--rare in children's literature--is the section for parents and teachers at the back that gives discussion questions for further exploration: "Moving to a New Home", "Thinking about Anya's Life". "Thinking About Your Life", and "Halloween and Other Traditions" make the book a study guide in itself. Children and parents can learn together about these subjects on an emotional and intellectual level. For teachers, this will be a great help in discussing differences and promoting diversity, especially when it comes to welcoming students who come from other countries or speak languages other than English. SHY MAMA"S HALLOWEEN is a story that will be remembered for a long time because of the beauty of its story, and the gorgeous, rich paintings of a time long gone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New World Embraces Old, October 5, 2000

By	katherine r. spangle (Malibu, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shy Mama's Halloween (Hardcover)

In their first collaboration, Broyles sensitive and insightful text and Morin's charming and detailed illustrations bring to life the tale of one Russian immigrant as she struggles to assimmilate into the melting pot of the U.S. A heartwarming holiday story that is perfect for year-round reading.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great family halloween book, October 25, 2001

By	Brent (San Jose, CA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shy Mama's Halloween (Hardcover)

A family has come from Russia and this is thier first Halloween. The children are excited, but mother is nervous and does not want the children to go. They agree to let father take them. When father comes home sick the children worry they will not be able to go trick or treating. Mother decides to take them. The children enjoy themselves and feel great for the first time in their new country. The images capture the feeling of the characters in the story. The book also provides a guide for teachers and librarians about the book. This book would be best for kids age 5-8 yrs old.