Synopses & Reviews
The powerful and personal story of one American childhood
When Mr. Williams was a boy growing up in Arcadia, Louisiana, Calvin Coolidge was president, Martin Luther King Jr. had just been born, and children worked hard in the fields for most of the year.
Many years later, Karen Barbour grew up hearing Mr. Williams tell stories about his childhood. In this beautiful book, she not only shares the memories he passed on to her but also creates stunning paintings to illustrate them.
The story of Mr. J. W. Williams, lovingly told by his friend, evokes a specific time and place in American history in a way that is immediate, intimate, and relevant. "Barbour's picture-book biography records the reminisces of Mr. Williams, born in 1929 on an African-American farmstead in Arcadia, LA. From the unadorned language, peppered with particulars, a poetic simplicity emerges . . . Reader gain a wealth of information about the era. The family received regular ice deliveries, for instance, and drank and bathed in well water because they had no electricity. Children will revel in details about farm life. And Barbour does not shy away from the more unpleasant side of life in the South for Mr. Williams. Sometimes in the winter, as he walked to school, a young white driver would try to run him off the road. Barbour's exquisite painting combine dark outlines, thick brushstrokes and startling colors, occasionally integrating collage elements of intricate patterns. In her hands, the fields look magical at harvest time, erupting in blossoms and fruits. Barbour's meticulously rendered artwork and Mr. Williams' astute observations vividly dramatize a distinct moment in American history, well worth remembering."Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The powerful and personal story of one American childhood
When Mr. Williams was a boy growing up in Arcadia, Louisiana, Calvin Coolidge was president, Martin Luther King Jr. had just been born, and children worked hard in the fields for most of the year.
Many years later, Karen Barbour grew up hearing Mr. Williams tell stories about his childhood. In this beautiful book, she not only shares the memories he passed on to her but also creates stunning paintings to illustrate them.
The story of Mr. J. W. Williams, lovingly told by his friend, evokes a specific time and place in American history in a way that is immediate, intimate, and relevant.
About the Author
Karen Barbour is an award-winning illustrator of many books for children, including
I Have an Olive Tree by Eve Bunting. She lives in Point Reyes Station, California.