Product Description

The further adventures of five sisters and their brother growing up on New York's East Side in the early twentieth century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1051570 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback

From School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-It is a feat worth noting when a children's book survives from generation to generation. The All of a Kind Family books by Sydney Taylor evoke a simpler and gentler time, and have been rediscovered anew since the 1950s. The setting is New York's Lower East Side, teaming with immigrants. The author portrays a loving Jewish family, and paints a rich tapestry of their experiences in pre-World War I America. In All of a Kind Family Downtown (IPG Chicago, 1988 reprint ed.), the five sisters are at the center of their loving family. Their laughter, adventures, and old-fashioned activities will delight sensitive readers. Suzanne Toren's nuanced reading brings the characters to life. She perfectly captures the voices of the young sisters, and her rendition of the immigrant accents of New York keeps the reading lively. While the story is not gripping by today's standards, children will find themselves captivated by the family's warmth and humor, and fascinated by the details of Jewish life and celebrations at the beginning of the 20th century.

-Emily Herman, Mary Lin Elementary School, Atlanta, GA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review
Narrator Suzanne Toren's voice is every bit as comfortable as the stories themselves. -- The Horn Book

This excellent audiobook will find an eager audience in schools and public libraries. -- School Library Journal

This is a gentle tale of a very different time, and there's value to that. -- The Providence Journal

About the Author

Customer Reviews

A story of family and friends
Although this is the 4th book of the series, it actually takes place between All-of-a-Kind Family and More All-of-a-Kind Family. This story is part of the continuing tale of a Jewish family living in New York's lower East Side in the early 1900's. Although they are poor, they are rich in their love of each other and their friends. Now there is a new baby in the house and talented Ella, mischevious Henny, studious Sarah, dreamy Charlotte, and little Gertie help Mama with the baby and find friends along the way. In this book, we meet Guido, a poor Italian boy who is trying to care for his sick mother and Miss Carey, a nurse who works at the Settlement House. Through the eyes of these characters, we understand what it must have been like growing up in the lower East Side before World War I. We learn about their sorrows and their joy over the little things in life. A highly recommended book.

So real I thought I was there.
I have read All-of-a-Kind Family. It's about five little girls. Their names are Ella, Henny, Sara, Charlotte, and Gertie. This book has so much detail it feels real. One time Sara lost her library bok . She was so upset when she had to tell the library lady about it. The library lady was so nice that she said she could take out more books, but she still had to pay for the book she lost. I thought I was Sara. At the end of the book, their mother has a baby. Its name is Charley. Everyone was expecting a girl, but it was a boy. Gertie used to be the baby and did not want to be a big sister. When she sees the baby she bounces up and down because of him. Everyone was happy, Now that's an all-of-a-kind family! I Like this book a lot. It has lots of adventures. Read one page and you can't stop.

A sequel worth reading
If you and your child are already fans of this gentle series, "Downtown" is certainly worth reading and enjoying. The main plot, which involves an orphan Italian boy and requires a series of coincidences that strain belief, is not as realistic or strong as in the earlier novels, but the characters are still winning and the historical details, fascinating. We call "All-of-a-Kind Family" the equivalent of the "Little House" books for children whose ancestors went through Ellis Island, and like the "Little House" books, their appeal is timeless.