Silent Dreams

Orphaned Camilla and her aunt, two of the many homeless persons in early twentieth-century America, forget their difficult lives when they go to the Saturday motion picture matinee; includes an historical note on silent movies. Read more Continue reading Read less FROM SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Kindergarten-Grade 4-This picture book is set during the early 1900s. Camilla, who has lost both parents in a flu epidemic, lives with her homeless aunt, who is mentally ill and has stopped speaking. After that bleak page, the outlook improves somewhat. In fact, kindhearted homeless characters donate their pennies throughout the week so that Camilla and her aunt may see the silent movie at the Saturday matinee. That entertainment provides their only brief escape from poverty. After the movie, the two return to their cardboard box by the river and Camilla reenacts the action for their friends around the fire and Auntie finally speaks. A historical note and glossary accompany this story, which is told in rhyming couplets. The impressionistic watercolor illustrations in many shades of purple and varying degrees of shadow suggest isolation and hardships. Yet, dabs of rich reds, oranges, and yellows suggest that life includes some warmth and comfort. This book may have limited appeal, situated as it is in an era that does not receive much attention in school curricula.
Laurie von Mehren, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH
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