![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() All in all, a lovely little book, recommended to anyone looking for a historical, pioneer-oriented Thanksgiving tale. I did wish that more detail had been given, as to the influence that Native American harvest celebrations had, on Euro-American ones, but that is essentially my only criticism. The illustrations, done in soft pencil by Heather Collins, are also very appealing, drawing the reader into the story. The geography is general enough that the story could take place either in Canada, or the northern American mid-west, making this a book with cross-border appeal. This approach works fairly well, resulting in a book that is both engaging and informative. Following the story of the Robertson family, who also appeared in Greenwood's A Pioneer Sampler, the book alternates between very brief chapters which advance the story - Sarah and Lizzie's misadventure in the cranberry bog, young Willy's visit with his Ojibwa friend, Nekeek - and descriptions of how to make whatever food or game is mentioned in that part of the story, from harvest bread to conkers. Part holiday family-story, part craft compendium, Barbara Greenwood's A Pioneer Thanksgiving is a lovely introduction to the idea of harvest festivals, particularly as they would have been celebrated by mid-nineteenth-century North American Pioneers. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |