Dad Gummit & Ma Foot

After fifty years of estrangement following a quarrel, two sweethearts finally get together again with the help of a cow and blackberry patch.

Fifty years ago, Clara and Thomas were to be married. Then the wedding was abruptly called off, and no one knew why. The two lovers become known as Dad Gummit and Ma Foot, reflecting their surly dispositions (and the epithets they utter, respectively). It isn't until Ma Foot steals milk from Dad Gummit's cow and Dad Gummit pilfers Ma Foot's blackberries that the two finally meet and reconcile. When they discover that their long estrangement was based on a misunderstanding, they finally recognize their foolishness. The story will appeal more to adults than to children, and the joke of the character's names quickly wears thin. Nevertheless, Riggio's evocative watercolors do much to enhance the text. The washes of lavender and blue add a sense of nostalgia, and the old-fashioned country square, beautifully rendered, sets the tone for the rest of the book. The last page, with Clara and Thomas leaning against each other in the moonlight, is especially moving. With a theme worthy of discussion, this book may be useful in the classroom. Without some promotion, however, it will have trouble finding an audience. --Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, TX
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

For 50 years after their lovers' quarrel, Thomas and Clara are so crotchety that they are known by their favorite epithets, Dad Gummit and Ma Foot. They live "alone in their separate houses," until Clara steals some of Thomas's milk for her blackberry buckle and Thomas steals some of Clara's berries to go with his milk. Stomping toward each other's houses, the two literally collide in the middle of a field at night, and when each sees how much the other has changed, they decide happily that there's "no need" to remain as foolish as they have been. In spite of the clever title pun and breezy style, it's questionable whether children will be as captivated as adults by this story of love regained. Nonetheless, Riggio's meticulously researched illustrations of this turn-of-the-century couple, filled with nostalgic detail, are remarkable for their characterizing depth. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.