historical fiction

Strawberry Hill

| Tasha

 

Strawberry Hill by Mary Ann Hoberman

Allie and her family are going to be moving to a home all their own.   Her father would be able to be with them every day, not just on weekends because his job was far away due to the Depression.  And the neighborhood had a wonderful name, Strawberry Hill.  But when Allie gets to the new house, there are no strawberries in sight and she had to leave her best friend behind.  Allie discovers that there are two girls just her age right nearby, but deciding who is going to be her new best friend is complicated.  It doesn’t help that the two girls are so very different and Allie feels drawn to each of them for different reasons.  When Allie is called a “dirty Jew” by another girl, the novel takes on another dimension, dealing with racial issues. 

This novel for young readers has just the right amount of tension around friendships and race.  The girls are all complex and interesting characters as are the adults, which takes some finesse in a book for this age.  Allie is a charming character who worries about things like colors, tuna fish sandwiches, and making a good impression.  Her coming-of-age story is gentle and will find an audience with children who enjoy quiet moments, small details, and historical elements. 

Allie’s eagerness to find a new best friend translates into a character that any reader would love to befriend.  Recommended for ages 8-11.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by Brimful Curiosities, A Patchwork of Books, and Abby (the) Librarian.

The Doll Shop Downstairs

| Tasha

The Doll Shop Downstairs by Yona Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Heather Majone.

Nine-year-old Anna is lucky enough to grow up living above her parent’s doll shop where they repair broken china and bisque dolls.  She is a middle child, feeling ordinary next to her smart older sister and her cute little sister.  Though the family doesn’t have enough money for dolls for the three girls, they are allowed to play with the dolls that have been in the shop for some time.  Each girl has a special doll that is “theirs.”  However, changes are coming with the beginning of World War I.  Doll parts become impossible to import from Germany because of the War.  So the family must become creative about how they will earn a living. 

I was a girl who played with dolls.  My favorite and one I still treasure is the rag doll my mother made for me.  She has yellow yarn hair, blue eyes, and a collection of clothes which include a velvet dress with a bustle!  It was a treat to read a book about little girls who love dolls, especially dolls which are not perfect. 

Anna is a great character.  Her perspective on her own ordinariness is shown to be incorrect by all of the clever and important things she invents and does.  I think there are many children who don’t see that they are special and its nice to have a book that explores that for younger children.

The world of pre-War New York City is vividly depicted and is as much a character as any of the human ones.  McDonough does a great job of showing glimpses of the city but not inundating young readers with facts.  I also appreciate the fact that the family is Jewish and that it is handled so matter-of-factly. 

Recommended for doll lovers and as a great example of historical fiction for young readers who are looking for something light but historical.  Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

| Tasha

Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko

Released September 2009.

Return to the world of Moose and his family and friends living on Alcatraz.  Moose’s sister Natalie is heading out to her special school that she got into after Moose asked Al Capone to help.  Now Moose finds a note in the pocket of his shirt after it has returned from the laundry.  The note says, “Your turn.”  Now Moose must decide whether to tell his parents what he did or to do exactly what Capone asks of him.  And where would the fun be in telling your parents?

Choldenko’s Al Capone Does My Shirts is used in classrooms across the country for historical fiction.  This sequel will make teachers across the country very happy, because it has all of the same things everyone loved about the first book.  This novel has the same strong voice of Moose as the first.  It is written with such a great tone and spirit as to make it unmistakably the continuing tale of Moose. The characters are vividly written and remain true to themselves even when they are developing and maturing.  As with the first novel, the setting of Alcatraz is integral to the story.  Choldenko has created another fine piece of historical fiction, expertly rendering a complex setting and large set of characters with such panache that she makes it seem simple.  Her writing is worthy of applause, especially with the challenge of a sequel.

Perfection for tweens, this book has a fleeting kiss but nothing more.  Great for historical fiction units and perfect to put right into kids’ hands without hesitation, this book will be gobbled up by anyone who opens it.

Also reviewed by Welcome to My Tweendom and Sarah Miller.