My Day with Anka

From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1?Every Thursday morning, Karrie gets excited: it's the day that Anka comes to take care of her. The woman bakes kolaches, irons shirts, washes windows, and subtly teaches the little girl about Czechoslovakia, her homeland. Then Anka goes home, promising to come back next week and make noodles. While this warm intergenerational tale is as sweet as the kolaches, it lacks spice. A few sentences, e.g., "Her feet pound the floor, and it shakes when she changes directions," are awkward, and an image of Anka planted on a ladder like a sunflower falls flat. The art, too, lacks zing. It's hazy and nostalgic, the figures are somewhat static, and Anka doesn't have the wrapped braids mentioned in the text. A much-loved caregiver is a good subject, however, and Anka and Karrie's affectionate hug shown on the cover is appealing.?Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, MontpelierCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From