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Title: Christmas In The Big House: Christmas in the Quarters by Pat McKissack, Fredrick L. McKissack, John Thompson, Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick, Jr. McKissack ISBN: 0-590-43028-9 Publisher: Scholastic Pub. Date: October, 2002 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Despite your fears, this book is pure gold
Comment: This book describes the customs, recipes, poems, and songs used to celebrate Christmas in the big plantation houses and in the slave quarters just before the Civil War. I was filled with great trepidation after seeing the cover of this book. It was a relief to me to find that, fortunately, the text was respectful and historically accurate. But observe, as I did, this cover. We know, after reading the book, that this picture symbolizes the rare moment when the slaves were invited into the "Big House", or home of the white slave owners, to view the Christmas trimming. Yet it cuts too closely to the ancient inaccurate image of plantation owners and their "happy" slaves (ala Gone With the Wind) for the casual person browsing this cover. The back cover does little to alleviate this fear, showing a scene of black children skipping merrily with a white child. Inside, however, the authors deal deftly with the subject. Making it very very clear that certain positive traits exhibited by the slave owners during Christmas towards their slaves were the exception and not the rule, the book gives carefully annotated scenes from the lives of white plantation owners and slaves. The pictures accompanying the text are, most times, beautifully presented. There is a shot of a bonfire that is one of the most impressive drawings I've ever seen of fire. Unfortunately, some of the models for these pictures undoubtedly suffered from hair circa 1994, since it is obviously permed to perfection in a couple scenes. Please note that the authors have a keen sense of irony that plays well. After hearing the slaves sing a song that is code for someone escaping to freedom, the plantation owner's daughter writes in her diary that the day has ended with, "the sweet sound of a happy, contented slave singing a carol". This point is not elaborated on, and is exquisite in its simplicity. The endnotes found in the back of the book, annotated per page, are excellently done. This book is a valuable part of any collection, and would read best to children a little older. Kids who read this book on their own may not catch all the references and points that the book brings up. This would pair well with Mildred Taylor's "The Well", as a before and after to the Civil War.
Rating: 5
Summary: Beautifully illustrated and passionate.
Comment: This beautifully illustrated Christmas story explains the origins of many African-American Christmas traditions.
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Title: Daily Life on a Southern Plantation 1853 by Paul Erickson ISBN: 0140566686 Publisher: Puffin Pub. Date: April, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges, Margo Lundell ISBN: 0590189239 Publisher: Scholastic Pub. Date: September, 1999 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold ISBN: 0517885441 Publisher: Dragonfly Pub. Date: 03 December, 1996 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Dark-Thirty : Southern Tales of the Supernatural by J. Brian Pinkney, Patricia McKissack ISBN: 0679890068 Publisher: Yearling Books Pub. Date: 07 December, 1998 List Price(USD): $5.50 |
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Title: Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom by Walter Dean Myers ISBN: 0064461203 Publisher: Harpercollins Juvenile Books Pub. Date: January, 1992 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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