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Summary
Summary
After her grandmother Bubbe's death, Amanda is worried that Thanksgiving will never be the same. But when she recalls Bubbe's favorite custom -- having her grandchildren make wishes on wishbones she had saved up throughout the year -- Amanda and her family discover the power and comfort embedded in tradition.
Author Notes
Michael J. Rosen was born on Septembr 20, 1954 in Ohio. After getting his MFA in poetry, Rosen started work as a design consultant for the Jefferson Center for Learning and the Arts in 1982. In 1983, he became the literary director of the Thurber House in Columbus, Ohio. During his near-twenty-year stay as literary director, Rosen was the editor for several compilations of James Thurber's writings; he also was involved in the creation of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Rosen has also "taught in the Ohio Art Council Poetry-in-the-Schools Program and Greater Columbus Arts Council Artist-in-the-Schools Program, and has conducted over 500 young authors' conferences, in-service days, writing workshops, guest author days, and residencies (for elementary, middle school, and high school students and teachers). He has acted as editor for Mirth of a Nation and 101 Damnations: The Humorists' Tour of Personal Hells, and his poetry has been featured in The Best American Poetry 1995.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4-Amanda and her extended family spend every Thanksgiving at her grandmother's house and love Bubbe's wonderful Jewish and American foods. Even more, Amanda loves the stories, the togetherness, and especially the wishes that she and her cousins get to make with Bubbe when there's nothing left of the turkey but the wishbone. After she dies, the family attempts to re-create the traditional dishes, but, because they try to cook everything at once, they lose electrical power before the meal is finished. Kindly neighbors come to their rescue, and the dinner is saved. Amanda even makes a wish with her neighbor, Mrs. Yee, who offers to serve as a surrogate grandmother, and Bubbe's tradition continues. Rosen's story is filled with the warmth of family togetherness and the comfort of holiday traditions. Thompson's realistic, acrylic paintings complement the story beautifully, focusing on the characters' relationships. Small inserts hone in on smaller details that elucidate specific aspects of the text, and the artist is particularly adept at portraying facial expressions and physical features. A good choice for a holiday read-aloud that is sure to prompt discussions of listeners' own Thanksgiving traditions.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Amanda and her family have always celebrated Thanksgiving with her grandmother, Bubbe: "Even more than Chanukah or Passover... Thanksgiving had always been Bubbe's special holiday." Bubbe begins preparing the extravagant meal weeks in advance, and all year long saves wishbones so there are enough for each of the grandchildren. When Bubbe dies, Amanda can't imagine how she'll ever stop missing her. Fortunately, Amanda's mother finds a way to recreate the annual feast in Bubbe's honorÄright down to the wishbone. Although the narrative gets off to a strong start, the transition that relates Bubbe's death is jarring ("And so for the first Thanksgiving without Bubbe... "), and soon thereafter takes on the feel of a memoir with one too many anecdotes. Thompson's (O Jerusalem) paintings are strongest when focused on Amanda and her grandmother; the rest are surprisingly static. Ages 6-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
The Thanksgiving after Amanda's grandmother dies is a difficult one for everyone because she was at the heart of their holiday celebration. Old traditions are joined by new ones when the family attempts to re-create all of Bubbe's recipes and new friends help them cope. The feeling of warmth generated by this family story is captured by the richly done realistic paintings. From HORN BOOK Spring 2000, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Ages 6^-9. Sure to touch adult readers as much as (perhaps more than) children, this picture book describes the first Thanksgiving for an extended family the year after their beloved grandmother, Bubbe, dies. When the electricity fails, a new friend helps out by placing their turkey, vegetables, and pies in ovens all over the neighborhood. As the family gathers around the table for dinner at last, they remember Bubbe, her Thanksgiving dishes and rituals, and her love for them all. The illustrations vary in style from small, sketchy pictures of houses to large, detailed, highly individualized portraits of people. Realistically, almost photographically, rendered and well composed, the figures sometimes seem posed to dramatize a scene. This large, handsomely designed volume has a heartfelt story and obvious visual appeal. --Carolyn Phelan