Publishers Weekly Review
| In this disjointed picture book, two young narrators describe their activities on New Orleans' "day of street parties," a time when "Mardi Gras Indians" don "feathers, beads, and gemstones" to dance through the neighborhoods. The children also observe two festive parades called Zulu and Rex, which represent other segments of New Orleans history, then feast on favorite treats (gumbo, ham and peas) at a joyous family luncheon. Unless readers are already familiar with Mardi Gras, they will be at sea here. Though Shaik's (The Jazz of Our Street) text hints at Mardi Gras rituals, readers never learn the meaning behind the colorful traditions. Several passages and phrases are misleading or confusing, suggesting, for example, that the Mardi Gras "Indians" are a people who live in small homes with door blinds. Adults also call out the baffling greeting "I know you, Mardi Gras" to the young participants. The key information about Mardi Gras' religious significance and explanations of who the "Indians" and other cultural/ethnic groups are is relegated to an author's note, and some definitions are still sketchy. Cooper's oil wash paintings here are characteristically warm in tone and suffused with subtle light and shadow. In several vibrant scenes of revelers, he captures the wonder, pageantry and air of celebration that Mardi Gras inspires, even though readers may be at a loss to understand the context for the festivities. Ages 4-8. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved |
School Library Journal Review
| K-Gr 3-This story looks at the final day of celebrations and parades through the eyes of two African-American children. Emphasis is placed on a couple of unique and very colorful traditions of the New Orleans black community-the African-American Zulu parade and the Mardi Gras Indians, who dance down the neighborhood streets at dawn in elaborate hand-sewn costumes. The children participate in these two events and then join the crowds on Canal Street for the king of all parades, Rex, before returning home for a good helping of Louisiana's special cuisine, and closing out the day with more parades and merriment. An author's note gives a more detailed description of the fascinating Mardi Gras Indian tradition, which derives from a mixture of African and Native American cultures, and has been handed down through many generations. Cooper's outstanding oil paintings glow with warm colors, richly conveying the festive family atmosphere. An especially appealing book that offers children vicarious enjoyment of this special day.-Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
| Ages 5^-8. The evocative quality of both the prose and paintings is the strong suit in this slice of African American Mardi Gras life. In the first person plural, an unnamed black girl describes how she and her younger brother spend the holiday. Their activities include dressing up in simple costumes, watching several parades, and sharing a feast with their family. The explanations of these distinctive events provided by Shaik, a New Orleans native, are sketchy at best. For instance, she simply states in the body of the narrative that "the [Zulu] parade makes fun of some old Southern traditions that once kept black and white people apart." Although her lengthy author's note provides more information, readers will have to look elsewhere to gain a better understanding. As in recent books--Cumbayah(1998) and Faraway Drums(1998)--the focus of Cooper's misty, intensely colored oil paintings is the human face and figure. At times his representation of the two principals is inconsistent, but the double-page spreads have an appealing warmth and memorable images, from the intriguing Mardi Gras Indians in their dramatically feathered headdresses to the duo's gap-toothed papa. --Julie Corsaro |
Horn Book Review
| Children in an African-American neighborhood in New Orleans revel in the joys of Mardi Gras, from wearing colorful costumes to following and interacting with the various parades. The text is filled with sights, sounds, and tastes, and the illustrations provide a picture of the pageantry and cultural traditions of Mardi Gras. An author's note provides additional background information. From HORN BOOK Fall 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Kirkus Review
| It is dawn on a day of street parties, and children are donning minimalist costumes (an underwater mask for a deep-sea diver, a cowboy hat to evoke a cowboy) so that ``even those who love us must guess our identities.'' Of course the children aren't truly disguised: ``I know you, Mardi Gras,'' one friend calls from the sidewalk. By the fifth spread, readers understand that this is more than a children's party; ``Mardi Gras Indians live in our neighborhood,'' and each emerges from ``the door blinds of his small house like a spring flower opening.'' Five of the double-page oil paintings are given over to actual parade scenes; the rest of the book features more domestic scenes of children in their homes and backyards during the long Mardi Gras day. The story is poetic, but puzzling to children new to the subject: Where is the story taking place? What are ``Mardi Gras Indians,'' and how to makes sense of the statement ``A parade named Zulu will pass''? In read-aloud sessions, cover the author's note in the back first, for a more succinct introduction to some of the customs of the New Orleans parade. Shaik's narrative is deliberately child-centered, offering an insider's view of the day but not quite succeeding in beckoning newcomers to it. (Picture book. 4-8) |
