My only complaint is that the "peek into the past" section gives an unrealistic view of Christmases in that era by only focusing on how the wealthy celebrated. This book is by a different author than the previous two, and the writing and plot structure are much improved. Although the second book in this series made historical missteps in understanding the world of ideas, this book is near-perfect in its evocation of a Christmas in that era and of a young, modern 1900s woman. She's so nice to Samantha, remembers what it was like to be a kid, is playful and fun, and strikes the right balance between being respectful and forward-thinking. Although her attitude gets a bit tiresome, it is completely true to life, and I enjoyed seeing how she processed this and warmed up to Cornelia over time.Īlso, Cornelia is a delightful person, and I enjoyed viewing her from the perspective of being her peer, rather than viewing her as an Very Grown Adult.
I enjoyed rediscovering the book as an adult, and appreciated Samantha's realistic emotions about how the visit from her uncle's girlfriend's would change her Christmas traditions. I remembered absolutely nothing about this book, except that Samantha wore a red dress and got a doll.
In the 14th century she reigned from her throne in Herat in what is now Afghanistan and sponsored a spectacular renaissance of science and the arts.Īnd, by the way, if you love Paris as much as I do, please check out the adventurous tale of a fashion-designing mouse who takes Paris by storm! Marielle in Paris is a fun picture book and a beautifully illustrated homage to Paris. The second one, Brave with Beauty, is an advanced picture book about Queen Goharshad who some historians now believe was the most powerful woman in world history. The first is The Word Dancer, a middle grade fantasy novel that both explores and celebrates the power of words. This year I have two new children’s books coming out. Also, I have worked full-time as a children’s writer for Addison-Wesley and wrote children’s fiction and non-fiction for Hampton Brown, Scholastic, Houghton-Mifflin, Harcourt Brace, The American Girl’s Collection, Heinemann, Radio New Zealand and the BBC. I have twice won the Sydney Taylor Award for the most outstanding contribution to Jewish Children’s literature.
As recipient of the Sugarman Award given by the Washington Independent Writer’s Legal and Educational Fund, I was appointed the Guest Lecturer on Writing for Children to the Humanities faculty at Case Western Reserve University. I am an author of several award-winning children’s books and I also teach children’s book writing.
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