Under the Pear Tree - Hardcover

Seabrooke, Brenda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525652132 ISBN 13: 9780525652137

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 1997

Synopsis

Through a series of poetic narratives, three girlfriends explore the world of the early 1950s, a microcosm of dog weddings, a visiting cousin with a secret, the courting couple across the street, and a myriad of other topics, on a hot summer day in Georgia.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7. This delightful coming-of-age tale told through prose poems transports readers to Georgia during the early 1950s. It's summer and 11-year-old Stacy, Deanna, and Lala have lots of time to kill, and many interests to pursue. Boys ("an exotic species like Komodo Dragons or Tasmanian Devils") are one new interest, and the poems provide brilliant bits of insight into the world of these foreign creatures. Girl talk hasn't changed over time; in "Boys We Knew," longtime neighbors are described, "They didn't count as boys,/the kind we might go/on a date with someday,/or even want to talk to./They were our pals, nobody/to get romantic about." Related selections capture the small events that enhance the girls' summer: a dog "wedding"; games of "Redlight" and "Mother, May I"; comic books; lipstick; and lightening their hair with vinegar and lemon juice. Essley's expertly rendered, black-and-white illustrations are at once soft-focused and nuanced in their detail, providing appealing glimpses into the time and place. This summer is truly a growing one for the girls, and it seems all they do and see is preparing them for adulthood. These poems are gentle, quiet, insightful, and timeless; and this format is quite appropriate for the subject. There is also clever language here, readily relaying the sights, sounds, and smells of the season.?Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library,
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

In this sequel to Judy Scuppernong (1990), the language is simple in a narrative in free verse, but the emotions are genuine, powerful, and sweet. The narrator, Deanna, and her friends Lala and Stacy find the summer full of mystery: Deanna's teasing cousin, Rusty, and his hidden sorrows; their shell- shocked neighbor Joey and his new wife, Vivian, whom the girls find exotic but of whom their mothers disapprove; and the greatest mystery of all, boys. ``Who can explain them? . . . They don't even try--just do whatever they want and let the broken bits fall any old place.'' Friends wander in and out, nylons and Flame Kiss lipstick become talismans, lovely images of light, wind, and the ever-present pear tree suffuse this gentle book. Readers will love it; those seeking to unlock the secrets of the female heart will find some nuggets here. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Poetry. 10-15) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0525652132
• ISBN 13: 9780525652137
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 64
• Illustrator: Essley Roger