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313 pp.
| HarperTeen
| February, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-248700-1$17.99
(3)
YA
Fifteen-year-old Rain lives with her jewelry-peddling father in a tent community outside of Seattle. When the city clears the "Winterfolk" community, Rain finds herself isolated and shoe-less in the big city, trying to find her way home or to a new safe haven. Lyrical language draws readers into Rain's distinctive worldview as she navigates the risks of homelessness in this uniquely set, thought-provoking coming-of-age story.
(2)
K-3
In Nu Dang, a boy loves flying his kite "more than anything else." One windy day the kite breaks free. Paper-Flower is about a girl who tries to grow a "paper-flower tree" from a bead given to her by a traveling performer. Ayer relates both tales with a storyteller's cadence; her vivid illustrations show a range of daily activities, people, and places in mid-twentieth-century Thailand.
309 pp.
| Holiday
| February, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-2948-6$17.95
(4)
4-6
In 1839 Connecticut, teen Daniel Linnehan (A Difficult Boy) joins peddler Mr. Stocking and his ward Billy to re-train and care for neglected and abused traveling-circus ponies. Daniel's annoyance with Billy--a girl in disguise--gradually lessens, but when Billy's abusive father returns, they're all in danger. Elements of exaggerated melodrama strain credulity, but apt horse-training sequences will entrance horse lovers.
225 pp.
| NYRB
| September, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-59017-819-5$15.95
|
EbookISBN 978-1-59017-820-1 Reissue (1964, W. R. Scott)
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Ronni Solbert.
This fiftieth-anniversary edition of Merrill's classic looking-backward satire has been updated from the year 1976 to 2026. While pushcarts and pickle barrels (not to mention the idea of developing photographs) may be foreign concepts to contemporary kids, disagreeing grownups still squabble over every little thing, and the arch wit and hilarious story should still resonate with readers today.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| March, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-1836-7$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Will Hillenbrand.
A backwoods peddler barters for a wedding dress for his daughter. Although the sequence of trades seems unnecessarily random, and the ending is adult (implying a reluctance on the bridegroom's part not earlier evident), the author's language is lively and engaging, and the refrain ("And one fine trade it is!") should hold readers' interest. Warm, cheerful watercolors add appeal and humor.
40 pp.
| Peachtree
| September, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-1-56145-422-8$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Ted Lewin.
With his dad overseas during World War II, a young boy works to overcome his fears, especially of the horses that pull the neighborhood delivery wagons. Large watercolor illustrations enhance the slight story and highlight the boy's efforts to make his father proud. An appended author's note describes life during the war years and includes archival photos.
36 pp.
| Harcourt/Red Wagon
| April, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-15-205887-6$6.95 New ed. (1999)
(4)
PS
Granted, it's a lullaby, and as such intended for babies, but the detailed pictures seem designed for older, more observant children. Frazee's pioneer characters are wonderfully expressive, from the squalling baby to the increasingly exhausted parents and exasperated older sister. In the original, larger picture book, the illustrations are easier to enjoy than in this board book edition.
Reviewer: Terri Schmitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 1999
32 pp.
| Cavendish
| April, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-7614-5119-6$$16.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Robert Rayevsky.
Two foolish men decide a traveling peddler looks sinister and therefore must have stolen a horse from their village. The pair look very silly when the peddler's bag is opened and no horse is inside, but in a clever twist, the foolish men are proved right, though they never know it. The entertaining story pictures a hook-nosed, swarthy, thieving peddler against stupid pink-cheeked bumpkins.
202 pp.
| Delacorte
| May, 2001
|
TradeISBN 0-385-72912-X$$14.95
(4)
4-6
Before leaving Ohio to pursue life as a peddler, sixteen-year-old Will Spencer helps Noah, a slave, escape to Canada. When he learns that Noah's family is still in Kentucky, he agrees to steal them and bring them north to freedom. Though Will's horrified discovery--that slave owners view slaves as "stock" that they own, work, and breed--seems naive, his passion for abolishing slavery is inspiring.
40 pp.
| Harcourt/Browndeer
| September, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-15-201429-2$$15.00
(1)
PS
Frazee has set her spirited, highly original version of the timeless lullaby in Appalachia, supplying as protagonist a little girl who has the bright idea of acquiring items from a traveling tinker to distract her howling infant sibling. The strong story line matches the vigorous, muscular layout and robust illustrations perfectly. The sweetest--and definitely savviest--little version of this particular lullaby to date.
(3)
1-3
Illustrated by
Kimberly Bulcken Root.
In this newly illustrated edition, a boy living in a Russian village more than a century ago steals a dreidel from an unkempt, ineffectual peddler, realizes his mistake, and learns much about what constitutes a moral, meaningful life when he returns it. The fine storytelling, rhythmic and controlled, is complemented by well-composed illustrations noteworthy for their willowy line and subdued palette.