The Bells of Christmas
A tribute to childlike anticipation of recurring seasonal events takes place a hundred years ago in 12-year-old Jason Bell's home beside the historic National Road near Springfield, Ohio. With a quickly paced plot and vivid characterizations, the story unfolds as Jason and his family celebrate Christmas in 1890. Jason's Papa is a self-employed master carpenter who has a wooden leg and a wheel-a-chair; his mama, a seamstress, is also her own boss in her small business. The abundant dialogue and short sentences are reminiscent of writing for children at that time. Likewise, the full-color acrylic paintings on every double-page spread utilize an old-fashioned illustration style. Readers can discover multiple references to independence, to bells, to travel across space and time in a story that also incorporates carefully researched details about this period. An invigorating sense of this loving African American family combines with a warm expression of noncommercialized holiday joy. The design and layout are exemplary of superior book-making in a volume perfect for family reading. ©1989 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Illustrated by Lambert Davis
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 6-11
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
19th Century
African Americans
Celebrations, Holidays, and Observances
Families
Historical Fiction
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
Publish Year: 1969
Pages: 60
ISBN: 0152064508
CCBC Location: Fiction, Hamilton