Grandma Lena's Big Ol' Turnip - Hardcover

Hester, Denia Lewis

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807530271 ISBN 13: 9780807530276

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company, 2005

Synopsis

Grandma Lena takes good care of the turnips she plants in her garden. One turnip grows so big that Grandma can't pull it out of the ground! Even when Grandpa, Uncle Izzy, and the dog help Grandma yank and tug, the big ol' turnip doesn't budge.

About this title

About the Author:

Hester is an Albert Whitman author.

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2–Adapted from Aleksey Tolstoy's "The Turnip," this tale about teamwork and sharing in an extended African-American family is bubbling with warmth and Southern-style cooking. When Grandma Lena is ready to pick her gargantuan vegetable, it will not budge. One by one, she enlists the help of her relatives, but it is only when Baby Pearl pitches in that the turnip is harvested, and then lovingly made into a soul-food feast for the neighborhood. Urbanovic's humorous watercolors are highlighted with charcoal detailing. The characters are delightful and each one has a great deal of individual expression and personality. Background details give a strong sense of setting. The illustrations of the growing vegetable take on outlandish proportions that readers will find funny and satisfying. The artist's use of perspective further enhances this rollicking story. Well written, charmingly illustrated, and with a new ethnic twist, this book is a first choice for libraries and an essential addition to collections of folktale variations. A great read-aloud, it also makes a natural introduction to units on seeds and growing, or gardening. Also, don't overlook the opportunities to discuss themes of cooperation, generosity, and community.–Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME
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About this edition

• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0807530271
• ISBN 13: 9780807530276
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Urbanovic Jackie