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kosciuszkocomms's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
bickie's review against another edition
5.0
Richly illustrated with folk-art paintings, TAR BEACH describes 8-year-old Cassie's thoughts about flying over the city and righting wrongs while her parents play cards on tar beach (their city building's roof) with childless neighbors. Based on Ringgold's story quilt of the same name - alluded to with the running border at the bottom of all the illustrated pages - TAR BEACH perfectly captures a child's imagination, wonder at the city around her, connections that make her special, pride in her parents, and desire to make things better for her family.
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
5.0
Reading the history and inspiration for this book is actually more interesting than reading the story itself, for me! But the story itself is still quite enjoyable. The final pages of the book give this background: Faith Ringgold sewed five intricate quilts for a series called "Woman on a Bridge," the first quilt of which became this picture book. The story makes reference to "flying to freedom" and the discriminatory practices of unions, which kept out POC by saying only those whose fathers were union members could join.
The picture book section is generally very hopeful, but, again, the practices of unions and the occasional poverty of the family is mentioned. Some very young readers won't quite get this, but the older ones will realize that this is a story about escapism, though escapism with hope.
You child is very likely to have this read to them in school, but don't be afraid to pick it up yourself for storytime at home!
The picture book section is generally very hopeful, but, again, the practices of unions and the occasional poverty of the family is mentioned. Some very young readers won't quite get this, but the older ones will realize that this is a story about escapism, though escapism with hope.
You child is very likely to have this read to them in school, but don't be afraid to pick it up yourself for storytime at home!
mbrandmaier's review against another edition
5.0
I wish I could fly too. Without being in an airplane, I mean.
katdemon's review against another edition
A good book to read to third graders BUT it's from '91 so maybe not
wordyanchorite's review against another edition
3.0
A print recreation of a story quilt, beginning on a summer night on the rooftop of a building in Harlem. The young narrator uses her imaginative flight over the city to create a fair world for her family. The format of the story is confusing, and the historical references will probably be beyond young readers, but the images are interesting and evocative.
thingsreadinbed's review against another edition
3.0
I read this intending for my creative drama class to do it immediately but I think I will wait until they are about a year older, I have 3-5 year olds at this point and think it's a little advanced for them. I LOVE the illustrations, premise and history of this book. Well done.
buttermellow's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
worldlibraries's review against another edition
5.0
Recently I read a remark in Pat Smith's column (she's CEO of the Women's Media Center) that humanity should look to African Americans for help imagining a way out of the climate crisis as they've been imagining a way out of slavery and bondage since arriving on North American shores and enacting their own imagination.
I thought of that when I read Tar Beach as I could feel the author beautifully imagining different, better realities than what America had at the time she wrote this book. Thank you to Faith Ringgold for all of her beautiful artwork and this lovely book. This book is a delight!
I thought of that when I read Tar Beach as I could feel the author beautifully imagining different, better realities than what America had at the time she wrote this book. Thank you to Faith Ringgold for all of her beautiful artwork and this lovely book. This book is a delight!
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
3.0
An okay Caldecott Honor book. The writing and art are both fine and the story is okay. It just doesn't quite up the timeless quality that I want from a story book. And the art isn't enough to make up for it. It does captures a place and time pretty well. It's a good book, just not a great one.