We Were There

September 24, 2001

The creature parade to Bethlehem continues (see The Animals' Christmas Carol, reviewed above) in Bunting's (Smoky Night) somewhat self-conscious poems about the lowliest beings to have witnessed Jesus' birth ("I am Rat./ Colorless/ as darkening dirt"). Minor's (Pumpkin Heads!) shimmering watercolors, lit as if by moon and stars, capture desert vistas and the distinguishing characteristics of Snake, Cockroach, Scorpion, Bat and others who traveled afar to be present, if unnoticed, at the Nativity. Ages 4-8.

October 1, 2001
Gr 1-3-Nativity stories often mention the ox and lamb as humble visitors to the holy stable where Jesus was born. Here Bunting shares the view of seven other creatures that were also witnesses on that special night. Snake, toad, scorpion, cockroach, bat, spider, and rat all offer a brief poem, always ending with the refrain, "I will be there." Minor's gouache-and-watercolor illustrations feature zoomed-in views of each narrator and occasional double-page spreads from one animal's perspective (snake on a vast expanse of sand, rat nestled in the straw). The last line sums up, "No one will look/beyond the light/to darkness/and the corner where we watch, /unwatched./They will not know/or care./But we were there." Libraries with active Christmas collections will want to add this title for its unique perspective. The poetry may inspire youngsters to create verses of their own for other "less loved" creatures.-G. C. BYRD, Donald & Susan Kuklin. The Harlem Nutcracker. photos. by Susan Kuklin. unpaged. CIP. Hyperion/Jump at the Sun. 2001. Tr $19.99. ISBN 0-7868-0633-8. LC 00-46172. Gr 1-3-In Byrd's "inversion of the traditional Nutcracker by E. T. A. Hoffmann.-The music is Ellington, not Tchaikovsky. The choreography is jazz dancing, not classical ballet." The beautifully designed book captures the stage production featuring an African-American grandmother named Clara and her family at her Sugar Hill mansion in Harlem on Christmas Eve. Her husband Gus, who has recently passed away, magically appears and presents her with a nutcracker, before vanishing. The family gathering presents conflict, drama, happiness, and love and, in the end, the nutcracker is passed to a new generation and Clara joins her beloved Gus in death. Readers can enjoy the story, whether they are actually reading the text or simply looking at the lavish, powerful photographs of onstage action-but perhaps because of this live-action quality, some of the shots are not quite as crisp as others. This fresh reinterpretation of the holiday classic will hold a special appeal for young people familiar with the original and for budding performers.-L. F.

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2001
Ages 4-8. We know about the large creatures present at Jesus' birth, but what about small ones, multilegged little nuisances, such as the spider or the cockroach, or even the despised scorpion? What about the snake or the toad? It's not hard to imagine a rodent among the larger quadrupeds in the stable, but what about a bat? Could it have hung like a tiny folded umbrella in the rafters above the baby? In a narrative, reminiscent of French poet Carmen Bernos de Gasztold's " Prayers from the Ark" (1991), Bunting offers an unusual perspective on the Nativity story. The snake slithers its way across the desert, the spider navigates on threads and puffs of wind, the rat squeezes into the stable after an evening of scrabbling for crumbs at the inn. "I will be there" is their melodic refrain. Minor's realistic artwork captures the unusual menagerie in all its scaly, warty, beady-eyed, spindly legged charm. Great for story hour, especially when combined with Norma Farber's " When It "Snowed That Night (1993).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)