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CM . . .
. Volume X Number 3 . . . . October 3, 2003
excerpt:
Sarah, one of the Robertson’s six children, starts the story rolling as she sits with her grandmother and creates pomanders to make the house smell Christmassy. Sarah and Granny are both starting to worry about Sophie and Andrew - Sarah’s aunt and uncle - who are on the way to the Robertson’s neck of the woods to set up a homestead. Sarah is worried not only about the dangers of traveling on the snowy roads in winter, but also because she knows that her aunt is expecting a baby. This basic plot carries readers through to the end of the story, with small sub-plots to keep the readers’ interest until Sophie, Andrew, and baby finally arrive just as the children are going to bed on Christmas Eve.
At first glance, A Pioneer Christmas seems to dedicate much more page space to fiction than to fact. Actually, Greenwood’s experience and ability allow her to seamlessly add many interesting factual tidbits of life in the backwoods throughout the story without disturbing the flow of the narrative. In addition to these “buried” facts, Greenwood uses the breaks between parts of the story to present instructions for making pioneer crafts (pomanders, a cup and ball toy, cookie decorations, and a popcorn garland), lyrics and music to two Christmas songs, and instructions for a winter game and Blind Man’s Bluff. This is where Greenwood’s writing shines - it is well researched, concise, and easy to understand. Although the story is somewhat melodramatic, it should appeal to the legions of fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the books in the “Dear Canada” series. Greenwood does not go into great detail about the hardships of pioneer life, other than the dangers of blizzard to those working or traveling out of doors. Sarah describes helping to make plum pudding, and she looks after her younger brother, but there is no mention of any of the other chores she would undoubtedly have been assigned as a member of a pioneer family. Heather Collins’s black and white or sepia-toned drawings are warm and detailed and give the sense of old photographs. There are many illustrations throughout the story, both small and full-page. The craft and game sections are illustrated as well, making it easy to follow the directions for making or doing. The book’s design is nicely done, too, which is especially important in a book where fiction and non-fiction share the spotlight. This book is likely to be used as recreational reading rather than as a reference to support project work on pioneer times, though there is a table of contents and an index provided to help those who are looking for specific facts. Greenwood’s fans will be pleased with this new offering. Recommended. Grace Sheppard is a Children’s Librarian with the Ottawa Public Library in Ottawa, ON.
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