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From the beloved husband-and-wife team of The Gardener , a Caldecott Honor BookAnnabelle Bernadette Clementine DoddWas a good little girl, though decidedly odd.Belle lived every day as if she were grown --She thought she could do everything all on her own.Lucky for Belle, she has a friend at home, a caregiver named Beatrice Smith -- Bea -- who keeps a close eye on her so she doesn't get into too much mischief. Through the week Belle helps Bea as she does chores or shops or bakes, and at the end of most days they head to the beach -- Belle and Bea, hand in hand, by the sea. But one afternoon Belle sneaks outside to play all alone, and something happens that changes her life forever.A lyrical rhymed text and pictures that pack emotion combine to present powerful portraits of a girl and her loving guardian.
Unknown Binding
First published August 11, 2004
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About the author
Sarah Stewart
58 books115 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Wife of famed illustrator, David Small, Sarah Stewart has written a number of children's books. She grew up in Texas, and lives in Michigan with her husband.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/sarahs...
Wife of famed illustrator, David Small, Sarah Stewart has written a number of children's books. She grew up in Texas, and lives in Michigan with her husband.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/sarahs...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 11, 2010
After reading the dedication and seeing the photo in the locket at the end of the book, this is obviously a biographical account.
I really liked this book. The illustrations are spectacular and the rhyming story with a good amount of repetition is engaging. But, I felt very sad for the little girl and very angry for both the little girl and her woman caregiver/housekeeper. Maybe this is meant to be a lovingly told, happy story, but it bugged me that a (probably underpaid) paid caregiver is the parent figure to this child.
It’s a beautifully told story though, although I’d want to have discussions with any kids about it. Poor little rich girl and exploited (?) household help??? It’s wonderful that the girl, neglected by her parents, finds family in another adult, and that the woman seems to truly care for her and gets something from the relationship too. But, these kinds of situations in real life drive me bonkers.
Despite feeling sad and angry, and not at all sure that is the author’s or illustrator’s intent, I did enjoy the book. I enjoy this author-illustrator team’s picture books very much.
Anyone who loves the sea should appreciate both the illustrations and the parts of the story that take place near the ocean. Just lovely.
I guess this book is probably non-fiction biography or historical fiction, but since I don’t know the extent of its being a true story, I’ll leave it on my fiction shelf.
I really liked this book. The illustrations are spectacular and the rhyming story with a good amount of repetition is engaging. But, I felt very sad for the little girl and very angry for both the little girl and her woman caregiver/housekeeper. Maybe this is meant to be a lovingly told, happy story, but it bugged me that a (probably underpaid) paid caregiver is the parent figure to this child.
It’s a beautifully told story though, although I’d want to have discussions with any kids about it. Poor little rich girl and exploited (?) household help??? It’s wonderful that the girl, neglected by her parents, finds family in another adult, and that the woman seems to truly care for her and gets something from the relationship too. But, these kinds of situations in real life drive me bonkers.
Despite feeling sad and angry, and not at all sure that is the author’s or illustrator’s intent, I did enjoy the book. I enjoy this author-illustrator team’s picture books very much.
Anyone who loves the sea should appreciate both the illustrations and the parts of the story that take place near the ocean. Just lovely.
I guess this book is probably non-fiction biography or historical fiction, but since I don’t know the extent of its being a true story, I’ll leave it on my fiction shelf.
February 24, 2015
With gorgeous watercolor illustrations and a heartfelt and lyrical narrative, this is a touching tribute to a woman who saved the life of a child, both literally and figuratively.
Part dedication, part social commentary, this story shows how parenting is more than contributing sperm and egg to make a baby. How being a constant presence in a child's life is more important than what money can buy.
And it also speaks to the tremendous pressures of single parenting - how a willful child and a moment of inattention can lead to disaster. These are fairly serious topics to be covered in a children's book, but they are accomplished with love. And that love really shines through, which makes this a joy to read.
Part dedication, part social commentary, this story shows how parenting is more than contributing sperm and egg to make a baby. How being a constant presence in a child's life is more important than what money can buy.
And it also speaks to the tremendous pressures of single parenting - how a willful child and a moment of inattention can lead to disaster. These are fairly serious topics to be covered in a children's book, but they are accomplished with love. And that love really shines through, which makes this a joy to read.
May 19, 2008
The illustrations in this book make it clear that the main character, Belle, is a very rich, and very lonely; a girl who is left alone all day with only the housekeeper, Bea, to provide companionship. The two form a loving duo, doing chores and walking to the sea together every day, until the day that Belle decides to take off by herself, perhaps leaving Bea unable to save her. At first I wasn't sure what to make of this book, it felt quite stereotypical, the African American housekeeper, the spoiled rich white girl, yet the author (who also voices the characters in the audio version) makes it clear that this is a labor of love, an autobiographical portrait of her young life with a beloved friend and mentor. Despite the uncomfortable stereotype, this book is a tribute to cherished memories and should appeal to preschool through grade 2.
CIP Summary:
With Mom too busy and Dad away much of the time, Belle finds companionship with a housekeeper who after each days work takes Belle "hand in hand" to the beach.
From Kirkus:
A poor little rich girl, ignored by her busy parents, finds companionship with the family's live-in African-American housekeeper...rhyming couplets take the pair through the chores of the week, every day ending with a walk from the mansion to the beach: "Belle and Bea, hand in hand, to the sea." Although a postscript and the dedication indicate that the story is at least partially autobiographical, there is something in this celebration of the relationship between black hired help and white employer's child that might strike modern readers as archaic, if not downright abominable.
From School Library Journal:
Pre-Gr 3-Lovingly read by author Sarah Stewart (Farrar, 2004), this is a sentimental ode to an African-American housekeeper who manages a sprawling mansion while simultaneously caring for a young, precocious, wealthy white girl whose parents are too busy to spend much time with her. The relationship between the two is recalled over the course of a standard week, with young Belle assisting (in her way) housekeeper Bea with the daily chores. After completing each day's hard work, they wind down with visits to the beach.
CIP Summary:
With Mom too busy and Dad away much of the time, Belle finds companionship with a housekeeper who after each days work takes Belle "hand in hand" to the beach.
From Kirkus:
A poor little rich girl, ignored by her busy parents, finds companionship with the family's live-in African-American housekeeper...rhyming couplets take the pair through the chores of the week, every day ending with a walk from the mansion to the beach: "Belle and Bea, hand in hand, to the sea." Although a postscript and the dedication indicate that the story is at least partially autobiographical, there is something in this celebration of the relationship between black hired help and white employer's child that might strike modern readers as archaic, if not downright abominable.
From School Library Journal:
Pre-Gr 3-Lovingly read by author Sarah Stewart (Farrar, 2004), this is a sentimental ode to an African-American housekeeper who manages a sprawling mansion while simultaneously caring for a young, precocious, wealthy white girl whose parents are too busy to spend much time with her. The relationship between the two is recalled over the course of a standard week, with young Belle assisting (in her way) housekeeper Bea with the daily chores. After completing each day's hard work, they wind down with visits to the beach.
September 3, 2016
This book had me choking back tears! Beautifully written - the pictures are amazing - very sweet!
August 6, 2023
Très belles illustrations
August 25, 2023
This is a book that only tells part of a story and unfortunately it is the side of the story that is too often told at the expense of the other sides of the story. Bella is an awkward lonely child of absent wealthy parents left alone with the African America hired help. The story is beautifully illustrated but leaves today’s reader uncomfortably aware that Bea’s story isn’t told. Where is Bea’s family? Does she feel fulfilled in her endless care of Bella? What is the true cause of the fear on her face when Bella goes missing? Do the absent parents treat her with as little consideration as they seem to give Bella? For a book that seems to want to celebrate and highlight the relationship between the rich, white, little girl and the older, African American hired help woman it falls serious short and leaves the read with a sense of u justice instead of fulfillment.
August 12, 2020
Beautiful art, lovely poetry. I read this at the perfect time since I just finished The Help and this picture book reminds me of the maids' relationships with the white children they were watching. This story has parents that are absent and the maid/nanny raises the little girl and obviously loves her. It is nice at the end because an adult woman is thanking the woman who raised her. This book was featured in my children's literature textbook as an example of how artwork can develop characters more than what is mentioned in the text. It does. The pictures add a dimension that the simple text doesn't have to!
April 17, 2024
Belle was a little girl who lived in a mansion, and whose parents didn't have time for her. Belle was always left in the care of Bea their trustworthy housekeeper whose small rooms were accessed by the back stairs. Belle and Bea were always doing things together, except for one day that Belle placed herself in harm's way. Bea was just in time to change her life. This is a story of love, friendship, and devotion. The final illustration of Bea is stunning and says so much.
March 22, 2017
This tells the story of a young girl named Annabelle Bernadette Clementine Dodd or "Belle," whose parents are too busy to spend much time with her. She spends her days with the family housekeeper, Beatrice Smith or "Bea." Every day after working they go down to the beach together. However, one day Belle goes on her own and something happens that changes her life forever.
October 13, 2021
A deeply personal book for the author, the dedication at the end gives it great meaning. The sea was almost like it's own character in the story, vast and full of possibility. Also full of memories together.
October 22, 2021
I love this friendship between a little girl and the live-in maid who is more parent to her than her parents.
Rhyming text walks us through a week (using ordinals -- first, second, third, etc.)
Like that they go to church on Sunday.
Rhyming text walks us through a week (using ordinals -- first, second, third, etc.)
Like that they go to church on Sunday.
July 5, 2023
Annabelle Bernadette Clementine Doddhas a rich mother and father who are too busy to take care of her. Her caretaker is her ultimate friend. This book is about the unconditional love someone can have for another person who is not their blood.
November 21, 2017
If the end doesn't bring you to tears, you may possibly have no heart. Beautiful book.
February 9, 2018
The ending was a bit abrupt.
September 26, 2021
Loved this one! Beautifully done.
October 13, 2024
A lovely story. 🌸🌸🌸
December 28, 2016
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
Annabelle Bernadette Clementine Dodd (“Belle”) has busy parents who are hardly ever home, but she is lucky to be good friends with the family’s housekeeper, Bea, who is always there for her, especially in a moment of great danger.
The pictures tell us what the text does not - that Belle is a Caucasian child, and Bea is an African-American woman. They also give us a wonderful sense of Bea’s personality. Her facial expressions reveal her fierce love for Belle, her amusement when Belle makes a mess, her tiredness at the end of a long day, and her heartbreaking sadness at the thought of losing Belle, as she nearly does at the end of the story. The final illustration, accompanied by a short verse, also tells us a lot about Belle as an adult, as we learn that she is looking back on her memory of the important day Bea saved her life.
I initially read this book hoping it would be a good beach-themed story for a summer outreach visit. Having read it, though, I think it’s probably not a good story time choice for preschoolers. There is a lot to take away from this book, and I would love to read it aloud to some elementary school students - maybe third or fourth graders - because I think the richness of the language and the beauty of the story would be best understood and appreciated by kids who can discuss those aspects a little bit. What Bea does for Belle - and the fact that it remains with Belle until adulthood - is a great way to open up a conversation about heroes and true friendship, and I think the emotional ending will resonate with kids old enough to appreciate the subtlety of the book’s final pages.
Readers who have enjoyed other Sarah Stewart / David Small collaborations will find similar themes in this one. It’s also a nice read-alike for some of Patricia Polacco’s titles, where she also looks back on her childhood and remembers the adults who shaped her childhood experiences.
Annabelle Bernadette Clementine Dodd (“Belle”) has busy parents who are hardly ever home, but she is lucky to be good friends with the family’s housekeeper, Bea, who is always there for her, especially in a moment of great danger.
The pictures tell us what the text does not - that Belle is a Caucasian child, and Bea is an African-American woman. They also give us a wonderful sense of Bea’s personality. Her facial expressions reveal her fierce love for Belle, her amusement when Belle makes a mess, her tiredness at the end of a long day, and her heartbreaking sadness at the thought of losing Belle, as she nearly does at the end of the story. The final illustration, accompanied by a short verse, also tells us a lot about Belle as an adult, as we learn that she is looking back on her memory of the important day Bea saved her life.
I initially read this book hoping it would be a good beach-themed story for a summer outreach visit. Having read it, though, I think it’s probably not a good story time choice for preschoolers. There is a lot to take away from this book, and I would love to read it aloud to some elementary school students - maybe third or fourth graders - because I think the richness of the language and the beauty of the story would be best understood and appreciated by kids who can discuss those aspects a little bit. What Bea does for Belle - and the fact that it remains with Belle until adulthood - is a great way to open up a conversation about heroes and true friendship, and I think the emotional ending will resonate with kids old enough to appreciate the subtlety of the book’s final pages.
Readers who have enjoyed other Sarah Stewart / David Small collaborations will find similar themes in this one. It’s also a nice read-alike for some of Patricia Polacco’s titles, where she also looks back on her childhood and remembers the adults who shaped her childhood experiences.
June 18, 2015
I get the strong impression that this book was autobiographical in a sense. I'm certain that it was based on a real person, as evidenced by the heart locket photograph and the dedication that Stewart makes. I suspect that Sarah Stewart was Belle. In any case, I loved this book. The rhyming text tells of a girl, Belle, who is essentially raised by a woman, Bea, hired to run the house and care for the girl while the girl's parents are gone. It certainly doesn't paint a favorable portrait of the parents in the story. They're only mentioned as being gone far too often in the first page. Anyway, most of the story is devoted to the daily activities of the woman and the girl until the end when the girl decides to go to the beach to play without the woman and nearly drowns. The woman saves the girl and that's where the story leaves off. The last page includes a dedication to people who save children's lives and especially Ola Beatrice Smith, who I suspect was the woman called Bea in the story. There is a locket with a photograph at the bottom of the page that shows a woman who I suspect was Ola Smith and a little girl who I suspect was Sarah Stewart. Powerful book. Charming rhyming verse. A very good read.
August 28, 2013
Lucky me; a friend just brought this to me-- a beautiful story written in rhyme that shows a loving relationship between a little girl and the family housekeeper, Belle and Bea. The parents are often away working, in my mind missing out on all the delights of childhood. Each day of the week, the regular chores are done, and even then the girl makes more of them in play. For instance, when the wash is being hung on the line, Belle makes clothespin bouquets Bea always responding with a loving comment. And then the afternoons include the ocean adventures whether it’s having tea, building castles or making art in the sand. The end finds Belle taking one more step of growing up, to almost disastrous results and her friend Bea is there, too. The ending is a surprise, but you’ll have to discover that by reading.
September 19, 2013
This charming story told in rhyme is the story of a stand by (the housekeeper) for a too-busy mother and a never at home father. The theme of friendship between Belle and Bea is shown in how they interact with each other. Each day of the week a different hosehold chore is tackled, and then the two spend time at the beach doing favorite things. Ufortunately, this book by the award winning husband/wife team David Small and Sarah Stewart is out-of-print.
Recommend this book to readers of all ages, especially children who have nannies, au pairs or other caregivers. For readers who like this book, recommend these other titles by this husband/wife team: The Gardener, The Library, The Journey.
Recommend this book to readers of all ages, especially children who have nannies, au pairs or other caregivers. For readers who like this book, recommend these other titles by this husband/wife team: The Gardener, The Library, The Journey.
November 12, 2009
A lovely, enchanting story of Belle and her best friend Bea. Although Belle is a child, and Bea is the family's housekeeper, they share a special bond. With a mother too busy, and a father often away, Belle and Bea are a team which lovingly and carefully completes their chores so they can journey down to the sea each day hand-in-hand. When near disaster strikes, Bea is comforted by the caring of Belle.
A loving portrayal of a connection between two people which is stronger than the traditional familial ties...one that lives far beyond the childhood years.
A loving portrayal of a connection between two people which is stronger than the traditional familial ties...one that lives far beyond the childhood years.
June 6, 2016
This story is about a little girl names Anabelle who finds her love and family in their nanny Bea. Her parents are not around, but Bea is and she teaches her amazing things and gives Anabelle a type of love that she never could find anywhere else. Bea saves her life and Anabelle forever remembers and loves what Bea had done for her. This story can talk about how love and family doesn't always mean by blood and it can also be a great book to talk about different types of lifestyles. This book uses watercolor as the media and paints the beautiful scene of the ocean perfectly.
October 9, 2008
CIP: With Mom too busy and Dad away much of the time, Belle finds companionship with a housekeeper who after each day's work takes Belle "hand in hand" to the beach.
My notes: The illustrations and storyline are very excellent. It tells of a little girl whose parents are never home and her only friend is the housekeeper. At the beach the girl almost drowns, but Bea saves her. Then the last page is of Belle when she is older remembering her good friend Bea.
Audio CD
My notes: The illustrations and storyline are very excellent. It tells of a little girl whose parents are never home and her only friend is the housekeeper. At the beach the girl almost drowns, but Bea saves her. Then the last page is of Belle when she is older remembering her good friend Bea.
Audio CD
October 24, 2009
Friendship is an enormous issue in elementary school...kids form cliques and do their best to fit in and feel like they belong. Opportunities to have dialogues about what true friendship means are few and far between. This book is the perfect opportunity. The Friend will show children what a good friend is and how valuable friendship can be. Tears came to my eyes at the end of this story and I don't doubt that you'll be touched by this semi-autobiographical tale as well.
August 28, 2013
The team of Stewart and Small is dependably produces work of considerable quality. The Friend, however, is the height of their duel genius, to me. Each page is more expressive than the last, culminating in the most moving moment of all - young Belle's rescue.
This is a book for any patron who wants a good picture book, for storytimes about friendship, for patrons who want picture books in verse, anyone looking for incredible illustration.
This is a book for any patron who wants a good picture book, for storytimes about friendship, for patrons who want picture books in verse, anyone looking for incredible illustration.
May 3, 2012
This heartwarming tribute by the author to her childhood nanny is filled with tenderness. She dedicates the book "to all the people across the world who have saved the lives of children by paying attention when others did not--but especially to Ola Beatrice Smith". David Small's sensitive illustrations capture the daily tedium, the patient moments, and the heroism perfectly.
Too long to share in a library story time, this book needs to be enjoyed at home.
Too long to share in a library story time, this book needs to be enjoyed at home.
December 29, 2013
The team of Stewart and Small dependably produces work of considerable quality. The Friend, however, is the height of their duel genius, to me. Each page is more expressive than the last, culminating in the most moving moment of all - young Belle's rescue.
This is a book for any patron who wants a good picture book, for storytimes about friendship, for patrons who want picture books in verse, anyone looking for incredible illustration.
This is a book for any patron who wants a good picture book, for storytimes about friendship, for patrons who want picture books in verse, anyone looking for incredible illustration.
April 2, 2016
This is a story in honor of a caregiver. Bea (the nanny and housekeeper) and Belle, her sometimes assistant, worked throughout the week, doing household chores and projects. Each day ended with a trip to the beach. Until one day Belle decided to head to the beach on her own. Bea noticed just in time and was able to save Belle from a disastrous wave. Told in rhyme, this story honors the friendship between a caregiver and the one receiving care.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2016
This is a really cute story about a girl and her close relationship with her nanny. The illustrations are watercolor I believe, and very vibrant. I really like this story because a lot of kids have hectic families and may not be very close to their parents, but may have someone outside of the family who they have a close relationship with. It also shows that friendships can come at all ages and seeing characteristics that each kind of person can bring to a friendship.
March 16, 2008
Wow, what a wonderfully, sweet story that took a huge risk with Belle at the end. It felt like such a big, dramatic moment in the midst of a story that maybe didn't need such a moment. But, upon reflection, I like that risk, like the big drama that appears out of nowhere, the desperate hug that follows.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews