Silent Observer

March 1, 1994
Gr 2-4-MacKinnon, born in 1889 and deaf since the age of two, worked as an artist until her death in 1981. Her niece later found a package of artwork and notes and published them in this memoir. The text reads like a diary, lending authenticity and charm to MacKinnon's anecdotal stories of growing up in 19th-century Nova Scotia. Her watercolor illustrations are colorful and heavily outlined; some are more detailed than others. Their unpolished look reinforces the personal nature of the book. However, the intended audience for this title is unclear. The text is quite long, and the subject matter would be best appreciated by upper-elementary students, but the format is that of a picture book. A unique offering, but one with limited appeal.-Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NY