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Easter Parade
Although the young cousins live many miles apart, Leanna in Chicago and Elizabeth in Washington, D.C., both prepare for an Easter parade against the backdrop of the Second World War.
Eloise Greenfield's moving story demonstrates the strength that love and hope give to women at all times. Jan Spivey Gilchrist's illustrations reflect the beauty and inspiration of this shared experience between two cousins and their mothers at Easter time.
Eloise Greenfield's moving story demonstrates the strength that love and hope give to women at all times. Jan Spivey Gilchrist's illustrations reflect the beauty and inspiration of this shared experience between two cousins and their mothers at Easter time.
- GenresFamilyHistorical Fiction
64 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1998
8 people want to read
About the author
Eloise Greenfield
74 books54 followersGreenfield was born Eloise Little in Parmele, North Carolina, and grew up in Washington, D.C., during the Great Depression in the Langston Terrace housing project, which provided a warm childhood experience for her.[1] She was the second oldest of five children of Weston W. Little and his wife Lessie Blanche (née Jones) Little (1906–1986). A shy and studious child, she loved music and took piano lessons.[2][3] Greenfield experienced racism first-hand in the segregated southern U.S., especially when she visited her grandparents in North Carolina and Virginia.[4] She graduated from Cardozo Senior High School in 1946 and attended Miner Teachers College until 1949. In her third year, however, she found that she was too shy to be a teacher and dropped out.[5]
Greenfield began work in the civil service at the U.S. Patent Office. In 1950, she married World War II veteran Robert J. Greenfield, a long-time friend. She began writing poetry and songs in the 1950s while working at the Patent Office, finally succeeding in getting her first poem published in the Hartford Times in 1962 after many years of writing and submitting poetry and stories.[6] After joining the District of Columbia Black Writers Workshop in 1971, she began to write books for children. She has published more than 40 children's books, including picture books, novels, poetry and biographies. She says that she seeks to "choose and order words that children will celebrate".[5][7]
Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships.[1] These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.[5] Her first book, Bubbles (1972), "sets the tone for much of Greenfield's later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life's challenges with a positive outlook."[1] In She Come Bringing Me that Little Baby Girl (1974), a boy deals with feelings of envy and learns to share his parents' love when his baby sister arrives. The poignant Alesia (1981) concerns the bravery of a girl handicapped by a childhood accident. Night on Neighborhood Street (1991) is a collection of poems depicting everyday life in an urban community. One of her best-known books, Honey I Love, first published in 1978, is a collection of poems for people of all ages concerning the daily lives and loving relationships of children and families. Her semi-autobiographical book Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir (1979) describes her happy childhood in a neighborhood with strong positive relationships.[5] In the introduction to that book, she explains her interest in biography:
People are a part of their time. They are affected, during the time that they live by the things that happen in their world. Big things and small things. A war, an invention such as radio or television, a birthday party, a kiss. All of these help to shape the present and the future. If we could know more about our ancestors, about the experiences they had when they were children, and after they had grown up, too, we would know much more about what has shaped us and our world.[8]
In 1971, Greenfield began work for the District of Columbia Black Writers' Workshop, as co-director of adult fiction and then, in 1973, as director of children's literature. That group's goal was to encourage the writing and publishing of African-American literature. She was writer-in-residence at the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1985-86 and taught creative writing in schools under grants from the Commission. She has also lectured and given free workshops on writing of African-American children's
Greenfield began work in the civil service at the U.S. Patent Office. In 1950, she married World War II veteran Robert J. Greenfield, a long-time friend. She began writing poetry and songs in the 1950s while working at the Patent Office, finally succeeding in getting her first poem published in the Hartford Times in 1962 after many years of writing and submitting poetry and stories.[6] After joining the District of Columbia Black Writers Workshop in 1971, she began to write books for children. She has published more than 40 children's books, including picture books, novels, poetry and biographies. She says that she seeks to "choose and order words that children will celebrate".[5][7]
Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships.[1] These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.[5] Her first book, Bubbles (1972), "sets the tone for much of Greenfield's later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life's challenges with a positive outlook."[1] In She Come Bringing Me that Little Baby Girl (1974), a boy deals with feelings of envy and learns to share his parents' love when his baby sister arrives. The poignant Alesia (1981) concerns the bravery of a girl handicapped by a childhood accident. Night on Neighborhood Street (1991) is a collection of poems depicting everyday life in an urban community. One of her best-known books, Honey I Love, first published in 1978, is a collection of poems for people of all ages concerning the daily lives and loving relationships of children and families. Her semi-autobiographical book Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir (1979) describes her happy childhood in a neighborhood with strong positive relationships.[5] In the introduction to that book, she explains her interest in biography:
People are a part of their time. They are affected, during the time that they live by the things that happen in their world. Big things and small things. A war, an invention such as radio or television, a birthday party, a kiss. All of these help to shape the present and the future. If we could know more about our ancestors, about the experiences they had when they were children, and after they had grown up, too, we would know much more about what has shaped us and our world.[8]
In 1971, Greenfield began work for the District of Columbia Black Writers' Workshop, as co-director of adult fiction and then, in 1973, as director of children's literature. That group's goal was to encourage the writing and publishing of African-American literature. She was writer-in-residence at the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1985-86 and taught creative writing in schools under grants from the Commission. She has also lectured and given free workshops on writing of African-American children's
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 11, 2020
Really needed color illustrations or line drawings. I'm sorry, but a brownish ink and brownish skin tones doesn't reproduce well... at least on openlibrary (possibly better irl paper but I don't think so).
Otoh, concise, understated, heartwarming, educational historical fiction for youngsters just graduating out of picture books. I really felt like I knew both daughters and both mothers. Greenfield is a poet and it shows.
Otoh, concise, understated, heartwarming, educational historical fiction for youngsters just graduating out of picture books. I really felt like I knew both daughters and both mothers. Greenfield is a poet and it shows.
April 9, 2009
This is really more a historical story--WWII Easter-time, hoping to hear from soldier-daddy, mom and daughter getting ready for the Easter parade to and from church, etc. Interesting, but not especially engrossing or marvelously written, in my opinion.
December 5, 2012
Easter Parade is a great book that involves two little girls that live in different places. They are cousins. One has a father who is in the army and cannot be there with his daughter. The way the daughter feels, I think, provides some insight to how other military children might feel when their parents are away during the holidays. This book would be great to teach students about pen pals because in the book the two little girls write letters to one another.
March 30, 2016
A story of two cousins - one in Chicago and one in Washington DC - preparing for Easter with different worries, dreams, and incomes. It would make for a nice several-night book to read aloud to a 5-7 year old, though I agree with other reviewers that the story is not particularly engrossing or well-written. Gilchrist's illustrations are lovely, but all are in sepia, lacking the colorful richness of her other works.
December 3, 2013
This is a sweet little story about two cousins and their different life situations. Leanna is excited about her new Easter dress and the Easter parade, while Elizabeth is anxiously awaiting an Easter miracle - to hear from her father who is away fighting in World War II. I thought the story was a bit underdeveloped, but cute nonetheless.
May 24, 2013
Cute quick book about two cousins making plans to attend the Easter Parade. The drawings are beautifully detailed and sepia-toned. I just wish the final picture featured more characters in their Easter outfits for the parade.
July 18, 2012
it was about to girls in different cities.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews