Grandma's General Store - The Ark
Grade 3-5–Seven-year-old-Prince and five-year-old Pearl are left to live with their grandmother in a small segregated Florida town after their parents go up north to look for work. In the meantime, Grandma does her best to take care of the children as they struggle to make ends meet during the 1930s. Carter admirably attempts to show a grandmother's strength as she nurtures, loves, and guides her grandchildren who miss their parents and live with the danger and uncertainty of segregation and Jim Crow laws. Despite the serious subject matter, the story is told through the voice and sensibilities of a young child. As such, the sentences are extremely simple; situations seem superficial, with abrupt dialogue and uneven transitions; and the pace is slow. Despite Allen's many expressive black-and-white illustrations, this easy chapter book fails to capture the imagination.–Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.