A Birthday for Blue

Lydon, Kerry Raines

ISBN 10: 0807507741 ISBN 13: 9780807507742

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co, 1989

Synopsis

Blue celebrates his seventh birthday traveling west with his family in a Conestoga wagon along the Cumberland Road.

About this title

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Blue is spending his seventh birthday travelling west with his family on the Cumberland Road in the early 1800s. The sunny day is filled with small events: walking beside the wagon, sights and sounds of the countryside, splashing in a stream while a broken wheel is mended, and meeting another family along the way. When it is nearly dark Blue's father comes to him, takes him to the woods and replants seven seedlings in a special arrangement to commemmorate Blue's birthday. Double-page pastels in greens, blues, and browns capture the earthy quality of the overland trip. Blurred edges give the pictures a dusty look. However, the visual appeal doesn't make up for the slight story, which is written in a choppy style. This should be considered as an additional purchase where there is a demand for stories of historical interest. --Nancy Kewish, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Cleveland
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Moving west by wagon across the Appalachian Mountains to a new home, Blue's family takes time from a busy day to mark his seventh birthday. His mother sings him a song as they walk along; Blue's father plants seven pine trees around the base of a large tree where he then carves the boy's name. Blue knows, as they leave that spot the next day, that he may never see his presents again, but that they will be there forever. In the narrative, Lydon includes references to the historic Cumberland Road, and finishes the book with a map of the family's probable path. Hays casts the story in early morning and late afternoon sunlight; in pastel blues and greens, he evokes the mountainous vistas that surround the travelers. It's a thoughtful story of the gentler aspects of a usually rugged way west. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co
• Publication date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0807507741
• ISBN 13: 9780807507742
• Binding: Library Binding
• Illustrator: Hays Michael
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32