From Publishers Weekly
As she did in Dreamland: A Lullaby, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Carpenter brings her image-rich lyrics to a picture-book audience, this time focusing on Halley's comet and the awe it evokes in the people of Jackson, Miss., as they sight it in 1910. Inspired by a family story told by Eudora Welty in One Writer's Beginnings, Carpenter's tale introduces a baby whose father holds her in his arms to see the great comet's tail "stretched out like a stardust streak"; it then fast-forwards to 1986, when the baby is now a white-haired woman, watching for the comet "from her daddy's porch" once again. Carpenter's words echo Welty's tone; they suggest a cherished story passed through the generations. In nostalgic, gently muted oil paintings, Andreasen recreates a time when neighbors gathered on porches and front yards to gaze at the night sky, and newspapers wrote about the astronomical event "every day for a week." His clouds and stars are a swirl of color and scratchy texture, and tender portraits of a chubby baby and a thoughtful old woman depict a life that has come full circle. As a bonus, an audiocassette recording of Carpenter's performance of this song is included. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-In 1990, Carpenter wrote and recorded a song about an incident that occurred in 1910. Eudora Welty's father took his infant daughter to the window to witness the comet Halley. Seventy-five years later, Welty stood on the front porch of the same house in Jackson, MS, to witness the comet's return. Andreasen's idealized paintings of small-town life add to the nostalgic tone of the lyrics, sure to tug at parents' heartstrings as they wish for happy futures for their children. The music on the accompanying cassette is pleasant. However, one must question the intended audience. Children don't know Eudora Welty's writing, and the picture-book set is unlikely to care much about the book's underlying theme. Adult fans of Carpenter's music might appreciate this visual interpretation of the song, but it fails as a children's book.
Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
