My Day With Anka

PreSchool-Grade 1?Every Thursday morning, Karrie gets excited: it's the day that Anka comes to take care of her. The woman bakes kolaches, irons shirts, washes windows, and subtly teaches the little girl about Czechoslovakia, her homeland. Then Anka goes home, promising to come back next week and make noodles. While this warm intergenerational tale is as sweet as the kolaches, it lacks spice. A few sentences, e.g., "Her feet pound the floor, and it shakes when she changes directions," are awkward, and an image of Anka planted on a ladder like a sunflower falls flat. The art, too, lacks zing. It's hazy and nostalgic, the figures are somewhat static, and Anka doesn't have the wrapped braids mentioned in the text. A much-loved caregiver is a good subject, however, and Anka and Karrie's affectionate hug shown on the cover is appealing.?Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Nelson's first book introduces Karrie, a little girl who looks forward to her time with the family's nurturing, maternal housekeeper, Anka. Anka is a Czechoslovakian immigrant who bakes kolaches and other good things, cleans the house, and makes everything fun. In a day of making the house shine, Karrie learns humor, creativity, and tolerance for others with different backgrounds. Anka is a real charmer, bringing memories of her trip to America into everyday activities: The vacuum cleaner is a train to Prague, and the window-washing water is the Atlantic Ocean. The story is loving and respectful, but remains very much a tale of several decades ago; Farnsworth's acrylic on canvas illustrations are muted, warm, and comfortingly nostalgic. (Picture book. 3+) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.