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| Name : | Barbara G. |
My Reviews
It’s the top of the sixth inning, and the Tonkaway All-Stars are trailing the Oglesby All-Stars by one point. Topper Parsley, also known as Top, Topknot (he doesn’t like that one much), and Thomas is up to bat with a full count. Does he hit or miss the next pitch? Uh-uh! No spoilers here!
With campouts, ghost stories, and Shaky Man, you’d think this book was primarily for boys. Okay, maybe a little because its main characters are Topper, Mickey, and Joe Ellis. Yes that’s right, all of them are boys—12 and 13 year-old boys. Yet, with characters like Jane Ellen Phillips, Sis, and Sammy, girls will also love this book. Being set in 1967 and 1968, it brought back some fond memories for me,especially, the ghost story campout. Not to mention its down home storytelling style, that will attract anyone who has enjoyed “To Kill a Mocking Bird”.
Shaky Man has been the most difficult review I have written to date. Yes, the story is good. It is so good, that I want to talk about every nuance and theme presented. It’s one of those books that’s going to have you reading it over and over again, as you talk to everyone and anyone who wants to listen to this story. Ahhhh! There is so much I want to tell you, but I’ve got to stop.
That little twist is Jane Ellen Phillips.
The most fascinating thing about this book is that Yetunde, is nine-months old and very, very funny. On this day, she’s playing with the computer when she notices her mother’s sadness. Being the girl she is, she toddles over and tries to cheer her up. Beaming proudly that she made it on her own, she grabs her mother’s leg.
Looking down on her beautiful child’s face, what mom isn’t going to sweep her up into a loving cuddle after such a big accomplishment. But, looking into her mother’s eyes, Yetunde sees that she is still sad so she takes her mother’s face in her hands and gives her a little kiss. It was so precious, and....
However, this moment led up to an even more heartwarming and touching event...storytelling. Yes, Yetunde’s mother cradled her on her lap and passed on one of the many folktales that her mother had shared with her to honor her mother’s passing.
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Yetunde – An Ode to My Mother, brought back so many pleasant memories of storytelling with my mother, as I’m sure it will for you. It seems to be the backbone of African culture as it is with many others. Naturally, Yetunde – An Ode to My Mother is an ETHNIC read. But, it is also UNIQUE in the way Segilola Salami marries both Yoruba words with English.
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