Children of Long Ago. - Review - book review

Children of Long Ago

by Leslie Jones Little pictures by Jan Spivey Gilchrist introduction by Eloise Greenfield Lee & Low Books, Inc., April 2000, $15.95 ISBN 1-584-30008-6, Ages 4-8

Life was quite different in the early 1900s. There were very few planes, cars and no televisions. In this book of poems, Lessie Jones little, the mother of celebrated children's author Eloise Greenfield, mixes memory and imagination to compile this collection of poems which reflect growing up in the time of her rural childhood.

Many of today's children can not imagine what it was like to grow up during the time that their great grandparents were children. Our attempts at retelling the stories of our grandparents may not bring the visual imagery necessary for our children to understand the simple-but-sweet life that our ancestors may have enjoyed, even in the times of lira Crow and segregation. Of course there were hard times, too, but the memories of the good ones are shared with us here.

Perhaps you are not fortunate enough to have your grandmother's writings or her voice on tape describing her childhood. However, you can have this collection of sweet poems to share with your children. Children of Long Ago is about the happy times in Leslie Jones Little's life. The art of Jan Spivey Gilchrist brings a rich, soft gentleness to the poems. What was it like to be a child long ago? What did children do for fun? You may find some of the answers in this collection of lyrical poems.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Cox, Matthews & Associates
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group