Pleasant but bland watercolors don't provide enough nuance for this double-themed plot. Brenda Gail is spending the summer on her grandparents' mountain farm. Beloved Gran Pap sings a tune one morning, prompting a conversation about how everyone who's born in the mountains has their own "mountain song" made up of their favorite memories like a quilt. Brenda Gail wants to work on figuring out her own mountain song, but frustration at cousin Melvin makes her throw rocks at him-accidentally hitting and injuring Big Ma's favorite egg-laying hen. The hen recovers, but Brenda Gail's guilt and punishment overshadow the mountain song idea and turn the story moralistic. Text length and complexity, especially about the abstract and intriguing mountain song, are out of proportion with the pictures, which don't merit more than a quick look. (Picture book. 4-6)
Bank Street Children's Best Books of the Year ¿ Georgia Children's Book Award
In this tender, lyrical story set in the mountains of Kentucky, Brenda Gail is spending the summer with her great-grandparents. Gran Pap tells her that "everybody born in the mountains got a song inside 'em," made of memories. That means Brenda Gail has one, too, "just waitin' to come out." A squabble with her troublesome cousin Melvin, in which Big Ma's favorite hen is injured, and their reconciliation help Brenda Gail start to choose the moments that will be in her song.
An atmospheric text written by a true storyteller. Kids everywhere will want to make up their own "mountain songs."
"Crum hits some sweet notes while portraying believable childhood emotions and warm intergenerational relationships."-Publishers Weekly
Bank Street Children's Best Books of the Year ¿ Georgia Children's Book Award
In this tender, lyrical story set in the mountains of Kentucky, Brenda Gail is spending the summer with her great-grandparents. Gran Pap tells her that "everybody born in the mountains got a song inside 'em," made of memories. That means Brenda Gail has one, too, "just waitin' to come out." A squabble with her troublesome cousin Melvin, in which Big Ma's favorite hen is injured, and their reconciliation help Brenda Gail start to choose the moments that will be in her song.
An atmospheric text written by a true storyteller. Kids everywhere will want to make up their own "mountain songs."
"Crum hits some sweet notes while portraying believable childhood emotions and warm intergenerational relationships."-Publishers Weekly
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940170834860 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Recorded Books, LLC |
| Publication date: | 03/15/2013 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
| Age Range: | 8 - 11 Years |
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