I have to give this book a good review -- it's an excellent Hanukkah story for children of any age. But I also have to admit I'm a bit biased -- my brother and I were the "models" for this book. I'm the older brother in the story, and my brother was the younger one. My mom and dad make cameo appearances on the train at the end. Anyway, if you're looking for a good Hanukkah gift, I bet you'll enjoy All the Lights in the Night. If you have any comments I'd like to hear them (i.e. "You're a handsome kid" - hehe). You can contact me via the above e-mail address.

When I was in the eighth grade, my counselor suggested "The Creation" as a selection for me to read in the UIL Oral Reading competition. I didn't win the competition, but I fell in love with the poetry of James Weldon Johnson. I was delighted to see a quality picture-book version of this colorful, winning account of the creation story. Perhaps the most wonderful thing about Johnson's approach is that he makes God appear "personal" rather than "human". His poetry seems to share God's heart, and captivates the reader and listener alike. The story-telling nature of his poems remind me of Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories", which I also treasure. I highly recommend this book.

A twelve year old boy experiences the joy and pain of freedom when the Civil War ends, he and his family are set free, and Lincoln is assassinated. The cadence of the language evokes the rhythm of a spiritual and the illustrations provide rich interpretation of the story. Winner of the Simon Wiesenthal Children's Book Award, The Wagon is a valuable addition to school libraries. The quiet dignity of the family, the social justice of freedom counterbalanced by the tragic assassination of Lincoln, and the search for a new life are ever important themes to present to children.

Sweet Clara's aunt teachers her how to sew and she makes a quilt. She and young Jack leave because they were slaves, but you are going to have to find out if they make it to freedom or not. I liked this book. It was very interesting and I learned about history. I think you will like it too.

Sweet Clara and the Freedom QuiltThis wonderful book``Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt'' was by Deborah Hopkinson. The Publisher is by Alfred A. Knope. The illustrator is James Ransome. There are 15 pages and the intended audience is 7-11 for kids to read.
Sweet Clara was a very brave girl. She really wants to get back to her mother. Sometimes I like to make quilts just like Clara. I like it when Clara starts making the freedom quilt.But I do not like it when Young Jack escapes too see Sweet Clara.
I did like the book ,because it was freeing the slaves.

Sweet Clara is taken from her momma and sent to work as a field hand for Home Plantation. The work is hard and Clara dreams of going back to her momma. Lucky for Clara, Aunt Rachel teaches her how to sew, which means being a seamstress at the Big House. There she hears for the first time other slaves talking about the Underground Railroad that can carry them to freedom. But without a map of where to go, runaways fall prey to "paterollers." Then Clara gets the idea that a quilt could serve as a map to freedom once it is completed. Gathering information about the Railroad as she collects scraps of fabric to make her quilt, Clara dreams of the day it will be finished and she can travel the road to freedom with her loved ones.

Deborah Hopkinson's story assumes young readers already know about what slavery meant in the United States in the years before the Civil War. The focus on "Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt" is on the inventiveness and courage of a young girl in helping her people wind their way to freedom. What I like best about James Ransome's paintings are the evocative looks he always captures on Sweet Clara's face, which help tell the story as much as Hopkinson's words. This is an excellent book for young students to learn more about the Underground Railroad and the quest for freedom.

Anyone who has ever had a brother or sister (or raised a few) knows how much younger children like to copy their older siblings. "Do Like Kyla" is a comfortable tale of one day in the life of two sisters. The younger follows the older through each step of their routine, painting a warm picture of closeness. My daughter enjoyed the simple text and colorful pictures of ordinary family life.

When I read this book myself, I frankly thought it was a little boring, but I was happy to see the children paid attention from beginning to end. I read it to a group of seven 6 to 8-year-old boys. They appeared to be most interested in counting the stars on each page (and then arguing about the tally!) but when we talked about it afterwards, I found they really had been listening to the words. The paintings are beautiful.

I requested my school librarian to purchase a book in memory of my sons grandmom. How delighted I was to read her choice and how appropriate too. While an enchanting story of how a father and son deal with a night without mom the message is also there of life, stars too numerous to count, of a world without end.