A few years ago, my daughter announced mere days before Christmas that Santa was bringing her a pink dollhouse. Santa, who thought she had everything checked off on her list, then made a mad dash to stores big and small to find one that was indeed pink and that could be purchased with what was left of the gift budget. Christmas morning arrived. The flicker of disappointment that it wasn't the dollhouse she had dreamed of in size or hue (only the roof was pink) lasted a moment, but soon the allure of playing with a new toy took over.
If I had only had read this book that year, Santa may have been
a bit more sensible. The All-I'll-Ever-Want
Christmas Doll written by Patricia C. McKissack and illustrated by Jerry
Pinkney is set in the Depression. It's almost Christmas, but as Nella tells us,
Santy Claus only shows up "once in a while" for her and her sisters.
This year, though, she has her heart set on a store bought doll. When her dad
surprises them with the Baby Betty doll, Nella convinces her sisters it should
belong to her. As the day progresses,
Nella realizes the doll is kind of boring when left with it on her own.
Pinkney paints the family in vivid colors in contrast to the faded-newspaper walls of their home. Through deft sketches of posture and
facial expressions, he also captures the conflicting emotions of elation,
frustration, resignation, and contentment. Emotions that are as predictable on
Christmas morning as the orange in one's stocking. And as palpable as Santa's
sigh of relief.
No comments:
Post a Comment