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Ma Dear's Aprons
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From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 10:20:10 -0600
I agree, Eleanora, with everything you said about Ma Dear's Aprons by Patricia McKissack (Anne Schwartz / Atheneum, 1997).
One more thing - Ma Dear's Aprons was one of six Highly Commended Books for outstanding writing in a picture book for children within the 1998 Charlotte Zolotow Award process. (for more information about the Charlotte Zolotow Award, visit www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/). As part of this process the Zolotow Award jury members use many books with preschool children and children through age seven. To the jury's surprise last year, Ma Dear's Aprons held the rapt attention of first graders, for example, and in one sitting! They fully enjoyed this peek back into the history of one family's loving life and into women's work in other people's homes. Maybe for children the clear focus on little David Earl's perspective is the key here, along with the familiar days of the week and the daily surprise in Ma Dear's apron pocket. For adults the image of an African American widow finding engaging ways to parent her young son while achieving the rigorous effort of supporting herself and her child is indeed a fine tribute, in that this is - as far as I can recall - original in a book for young children... Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison (www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/)
Hi All, My favorite book for 1998 is Patricia McKissack's Ma Dear's Aprons, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Granted, it was published in 1997, but I read it in 1998, so please bear with the fudging. Little David Earl recounts the history of Ma Dear's aprons, one for every day of the week -- except Sunday. It's a glorious book that pays homage to the women who made a living cooking, cleaning, washing, and ironing for other people. Ma Dear's Aprons is a tribute to Mrs. McKissack's great-grndmother and "also the countless other domestic workers of her generation." Eleanora E. Tate, Author Po Box 3581 Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
"Don't Split the Pole: Tales of Down-Home Folk Wisdom" (Delacorte 1997) Visit my web pages at: http://idt.net/~dtate19/elenora.html http://www.aalbc.com/eleanora.htm http://www.randomhouse.com/teachersbdd/tate.html
Eleanora E. Tate, Author Po Box 3581 Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
"Don't Split the Pole: Tales of Down-Home Folk Wisdom" (Delacorte 1997) Visit my web pages at: http://idt.net/~dtate19/elenora.html http://www.aalbc.com/eleanora.htm http://www.randomhouse.com/teachersbdd/tate.html
Received on Wed 30 Dec 1998 10:20:10 AM CST
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 10:20:10 -0600
I agree, Eleanora, with everything you said about Ma Dear's Aprons by Patricia McKissack (Anne Schwartz / Atheneum, 1997).
One more thing - Ma Dear's Aprons was one of six Highly Commended Books for outstanding writing in a picture book for children within the 1998 Charlotte Zolotow Award process. (for more information about the Charlotte Zolotow Award, visit www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/). As part of this process the Zolotow Award jury members use many books with preschool children and children through age seven. To the jury's surprise last year, Ma Dear's Aprons held the rapt attention of first graders, for example, and in one sitting! They fully enjoyed this peek back into the history of one family's loving life and into women's work in other people's homes. Maybe for children the clear focus on little David Earl's perspective is the key here, along with the familiar days of the week and the daily surprise in Ma Dear's apron pocket. For adults the image of an African American widow finding engaging ways to parent her young son while achieving the rigorous effort of supporting herself and her child is indeed a fine tribute, in that this is - as far as I can recall - original in a book for young children... Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education University of Wisconsin - Madison (www.soemadison.wisc.edu/ccbc/)
Hi All, My favorite book for 1998 is Patricia McKissack's Ma Dear's Aprons, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Granted, it was published in 1997, but I read it in 1998, so please bear with the fudging. Little David Earl recounts the history of Ma Dear's aprons, one for every day of the week -- except Sunday. It's a glorious book that pays homage to the women who made a living cooking, cleaning, washing, and ironing for other people. Ma Dear's Aprons is a tribute to Mrs. McKissack's great-grndmother and "also the countless other domestic workers of her generation." Eleanora E. Tate, Author Po Box 3581 Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
"Don't Split the Pole: Tales of Down-Home Folk Wisdom" (Delacorte 1997) Visit my web pages at: http://idt.net/~dtate19/elenora.html http://www.aalbc.com/eleanora.htm http://www.randomhouse.com/teachersbdd/tate.html
Eleanora E. Tate, Author Po Box 3581 Morehead City, North Carolina 28557
"Don't Split the Pole: Tales of Down-Home Folk Wisdom" (Delacorte 1997) Visit my web pages at: http://idt.net/~dtate19/elenora.html http://www.aalbc.com/eleanora.htm http://www.randomhouse.com/teachersbdd/tate.html
Received on Wed 30 Dec 1998 10:20:10 AM CST
