Monday, June 5, 2006

The Rag Coat

This book tells about a girl who lost her father.   When I first read this it was at a time when we were reading much about poverty and my first thought was, "Wouldn't this depress the kids?"  However, poverty is a constant, universal issue -- it exists because we as a people have not done what we need to do to eradicate it.  In this story the community does what it can to help out this needy family.  There are also themes of dealing with ridicule, developing a positive outlook and being able to communicate effectively with those who criticize you.  The artwork is exceptional and well-suited to the story.  Because of the subject matter, though, you might want to preview it before you read it to your kids. 

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long

What I liked about this book was the artwork, which shows you the things that are mentioned in the lyrics.