Product Description

After being initiated into a neighbor's family by a solemn backyard ceremony, a young Russian American girl and her African American brothers determine to buy their gramma Eula a beautiful Easter hat. But their good intentions are misunderstood, until they discover just the right way to pay for the hat that Eula's had her eye on. A loving family story woven from the author's childhood. Polacco has outdone herself with these joyful, energetic illustrations, her vibrant colors even richer and more intense than usual, while authentic details enhance the interest. A unique piece of Americana. --Kirkus Reviews, pointer review In this moving picture book, the hatred sometimes engendered by racial and religious differences is overpowered by the love of people who recognize their common humanity. --Booklist, starred, boxed review The text conveys a tremendous pride of heritage as it brims with rich images from her characters' African American and Russian Jewish culturesA tribute to the strength of all family bonds. --Publishers Weekly, starred review

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53883 in Books
• Published on: 1998-02-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Polacco--in the role of young narrator--introduces another cast of characters from her fondly remembered childhood. Brothers Stewart and Winston often invite the girl to join them and their Gramma Eula Mae--whose choir singing is "like slow thunder and sweet rain"--at the Baptist church and to come for Miss Eula's bountiful chicken dinner. When the children hear Miss Eula longing for the fancy Easter bonnet in Mr. Kodinsky's hat shop, they plot to raise the money to buy it for her. Sharing her own family tradition, the narrator teaches the boys how to decorate Russian "pysanky" eggs, that both turn a profit and touch the heart of the crotchety immigrant hatmaker. Without being heavy-handed, Polacco's text conveys a tremendous pride of heritage as it brims with rich images from her characters' African American and Russian Jewish cultures. Her vibrant pencil-and-wash illustrations glow--actual family photographs have been worked into several spreads. Other telling details--Russian icons, flowing choir robes, Mr. Kodinsky's concentration camp tattoo--further embellish this moving story--a tribute to the strength of all family bonds. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-- Despite the differences in religion, sex, and race, Winston and Stewart Washington are young Patricia's best friends, and she considers their grandmother, Miss Eula, a surrogate since her own ``babushka'' died. On Sundays, she often attends Baptist services with her friends, and Miss Eula fixes a sumptuous fried chicken dinner with all the trimmings, after stopping to admire the hats in Mr. Kodinski's shop. The youngsters hope to buy her one, but when they approach the merchant looking for work, he mistakenly accuses them of pelting his shop with eggs. To prove their innocence, the children hand-dye eggs in the folk-art style that Patricia's grandmother had taught her and present them to the milliner. Moved by the rememberance of his homeland, the Russian Jewish emigre encourages the children to sell the ``Pysanky'' eggs in his shop and rewards their industry with a gift of the hat, which Miss Eula proudly wears on Easter Sunday. Polacco's tale resonates with the veracity of a personal recollection and is replete with vivid visual and visceral images. Her unique illustrative style smoothly blends detailed line drawing, impressionistic painting, primitive felt-marker coloring, and collage work with actual photographs, resulting in a feast for the eyes as filling as Miss Eula's Chicken Sunday spreads. The palette is equally varied, while the application of color is judiciously relieved by sporadic pencil sketches. An authentic tale of childhood friendship. --Dorothy Houlihan, formerly at White Plains Pub . Lib . , NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Drawing on her Oakland childhood, Polacco tells a wonderful story about helping her best friends get an Easter hat for ``gramma.'' Unlike the narrator, Miss Eula and her two grandsons are Baptists; they're also, in Polacco's vibrantly individual pictorial characterizations, African-Americans. But because of ``a solemn ceremony we had performed in their backyard,'' Stewart and Winston are her brothers; and since ``my babushka had died,'' she also thinks of Miss Eula as her gramma. Hoping to earn the hat Miss Eula admires, the three approach old Mr. Kodinski at the hat shop, only to be angrily mistaken for the vandals who've just hurled eggs at his door. But dismay changes to hope with the idea of making Kodinski some beautifully decorated Pysanky eggs as a peace offering. Deeply touched, as much by their ``chutzpah'' as by the reminder of his Ukrainian homeland, Kodinski lets them sell additional eggs in his shop--and then presents the lovely hat to Miss Eula as a gift. Polacco has outdone herself in these joyful, energetic illustrations, her vibrant colors even richer and more intense than usual, while authentic details--real photos of Miss Eula's family, a samovar and devotional pictures in her own home, even the creative disarray of telephone wires on the dedication page- -enhance the interest. A unique piece of Americana, as generously warm as Miss Eula herself, with her glorious singing voice ``like slow thunder and sweet rain.'' (Picture book. 4-9) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Another Polacco book that touches your soul
CHICKEN SUNDAY is another one of my favorite Polacco books. This is a fabulous and emotionally touching story of an interracial friendship and the children's journey of love and service. Young Patricia (who has written another great episode about her rich and colorful life) and her two best friends Stewart and Winston (who happen to be black) want to buy the boy's gramma (Eula Mae) a hat that she has wanted but could not afford to buy. Since the death of her beloved babushka, Eula Mae also serves as Patricia's surrogate grandmother. The children witness an act of racism on the hat shop owned by the Holocaust survivor Mr. Kodinski. They were going to ask Kodinski for a job to raise the money to buy Eula Mae her favorite hat. Mr. Kodinski sees the children and assumes that they are responsible for the act of violence. Ultimately, the children redeem themselves by making Pysanky eggs for Mr. Kodinski to sell in his store. He tells them the story of his life and then gives the trio the hat. Naturally Eula Mae is thrilled.

CHICKEN SUNDAY is named after the chicken dinner that Eula Mae feed the children every Sunday after Church. This is another multi-cultural book teaching children that it is okay to have friendships with people who are different. Incidentally, Patricia remains close to these boys to this very day. It also exposes children to different types of racism. This book has a wonderful lesson for children and adults.

Poignant, lovingly wrought story of love and friendship.
I am a big fan of Patricia Polacco, she's one of my favorite children's author/illustrators. This book lives up to my expectations: Warm, big-hearted pictures seem to burst from its pages--the images fill your heart and mind like old memories brought vividly to life. Ms. Polacco also places real photographs of real neighbors (in Oakland, California) amidst her soft, rolling illustrations, adding the intimacy of a scrapbook to this tale of interracial/intergenerational friendship and love.

After two boys are mistakenly accused by Mr. Kodinsky's shop (Mr. Kodinsky is a Holocaust survivor, look for the faded blue number on his left arm) their grandmother and mother help them make beautifully decorated eggs to show Mr. Kodinsky that they really are good boys. The ensueing bonds of friendship and treasured memories make for a wonderful family reading experience, especially for children attuned (or who need some exposure) to warmth and the joy of giving.

A Touching Story
This book speaks volumes . . . especially how a life can be changed forever through a simple act of love and kindness. It seemed that Miss Eula was a beautiful person who just loved and cared for everyone around her by continually demonstrating the true principles of faith, hope, and love.

This book truly emphasizes those things that matter most: a faith in God, a loving family, and good friends.

Chicken Sunday was not only heart-warming and touching, but to me it clearly stated the importance of allowing that little "light" within our hearts to shine no matter what!

This book is an excellent educational tool, and can be easily used in various thematic units such as: family and friends.

I have always enjoyed Patricia Polacco books and will continue to read them to my loved ones and classes for many, many years to come!