Product Description

Ernestine, the young heroine of Back Home, and her great-aunt Odessa often ride the trolley to the railroad station to watch the trains from North Carolina come in. When Ernestine finally travels on a train to the place of her birth, everyone in her family sacrifices something to make her trip possible. Gloria Jean and Jerry Pinkney together depict family warmth as bright as sunshine. Full color.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1164771 in Books
• Published on: 1994-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780803711983
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Publishers Weekly
The Pinkneys team up once again for a prequel to Back Home , this time depicting young Ernestine in her Philadelphia neighborhood just prior to the train trip to North Carolina that is the subject of the earlier book. Ernestine has heard so much about her relatives and Lumberton, N.C., the town where she was born, that she's dying to see them. But the journey south costs more than the family can afford, so Ernestine makes do by taking Sunday outings to the train station. There she can watch the cars pull out and dream about being on one. After some artful appeals and money-saving sacrifices, Ernestine's travel fantasy becomes a reality. Gloria Pinkney skillfully captures the fidgety impatience of childhood. Her level-headed adult characters speak knowingly without sounding maudlin. A few colorful phrases and period details, such as riding a trolley and listening to the Sunday Gospel Hour on the radio, give the text an authentic flair. Jerry Pinkney's pale watercolors include several tender, warmly lit portraits. The yellowish-brown backgrounds, unfortunately, add an almost dulling sameness to many scenes. Fans of Back Home will especially enjoy this book, yet it stands on its own as well, affording readers a handsome window onto one family's history. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-A companion book to this talented team's Back Home (Dial, 1992). Eight-year-old Ernestine and her Great-Aunt Odessa go to the North Philadelphia Station every Sunday to watch the trains heading south. The woman, whose deceased husband worked for the railroad, always prepares a snack and takes this opportunity to pass reminiscences on to her grandniece. Born in Lumberton, North Carolina, Ernestine longs to visit her relatives there, but her family is saving to buy a house and can't afford a ticket. She offers to give up new clothes for the coming school year, and in light of her sacrifice, her parents each make one of their own so that she can make the trip. Gloria Jean Pinkney reaches back into her childhood to create another realistic and moving depiction of African-American life. The loving and supportive family she portrays recognizes and celebrates the importance of shared memory. The text reflects the true essence of African-American dialogue and meshes with Jerry Pinkney's illustrations, which continue in the same distinguished style found in Robert San Souci's The Talking Eggs (1989), Valerie Flournoy's The Patchwork Quilt (1985, both Dial).
Barbara Osborne Williams, Queens Borough Public Library, Jamaica, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-8. Back Home (1992) was about Ernestine's first visit to her aunt and uncle's farm in North Carolina, where she was born. This upbeat picture book is set just before that visit, when Ernestine dreams of going on that journey "back home." Every Sunday Ernestine rides the trolley with her great-aunt Odessa to the Philadelphia railway station to watch the trains pass through; Ernestine listens to family stories and imagines herself riding south to the farm. She saves and plans and prepares with her parents and her great-aunt, and finally, all on her own, she boards the Silver Star and waves goodbye. This time the full-page illustrations in colored pencil and watercolors are of a city neighborhood, including the bustling station platform. Inside Ernestine's home the rooms are filled with light and intricately patterned clothes and furnishings. Gloria Pinkney draws on her own memories to create a sense of the period and a sense of childhood. On the station platform, Ernestine is bursting with excitement; in contrast, her father is quiet, remembering. The members of the family are strongly individualized, and they are connected. Surrounded by their love, this is one happy child. Hazel Rochman

Customer Reviews

A Summer in a Black Girl's Life
A wonderful story of Ernestine, a young inner-city Black girl who dreams of taking a trip on the train. The story, appearing to be set in the 1950's or early 1960's, takes the reader into the daily life of Ernestine, exposing her hopes, dreams, and fears as she interacts with her friends and family. Simple activities and how life without many financial resources was lived during the time period are brought to life. A great book for Black History month or cultural awareness lessons.