A Strawbeater's Thanksgiving - Hardcover

Grade 2-5-In this tale based on slave narratives, Smalls presents little-known traditions and unfamiliar figures of speech. At the annual corn-shucking party, seven-year-old Jess longs to be the "strawbeater" who, according to the author's note, "stands behind a fiddler, reaches around his left shoulder, and beats on the strings while the fiddle is being played, in the manner of a snare drum." He must wrestle Nathaniel, a bigger boy, for the honor, and when he is chosen for his tenacity rather than his brawn, the festivities begin. There is dancing, singing, good-natured competition, and plenty of food. The story line is somewhat stilted and would require some historical background to be fully appreciated. Rosales's vibrant, full-color oil paintings carry the emotion and spirit of the day. The bright, bold reds and browns add a sense of power and strength. This is not as satisfying as Patricia and Fredrick McKissack's Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (Scholastic, 1994), but it helps to fill out the life stories of slaves and presents an interesting glimpse of a harvest celebration of the period.
Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a story based on slave narratives, Smalls focuses on a description of a corn-husking party, when slaves were allowed one night of celebration after the harvest. Held in late November, the slaves join together from surrounding farms to shuck corn, to eat, and, finally, to dance. Each year, a straw beater is selected - a young boy who stands behind the fiddler with a pair of straws to beat the fiddle strings like a drum. The means of selection is a wrestling match. Seven-year-old Jess is determined to triumph over Nathaniel, who's always been chosen as straw beater. But Nathaniel is twice Jess' size, and the odds seem a might slim. On the big night, Jess is thrown twice, and Sis Wisa, Jess' mom who watches from the sidelines, winces. But it's not over, and in one last-ditch effort, Jess grabs Nathaniel and hangs on for all he's worth. Finally, someone in the crowd shouts, "Can we git to dancin?" and the fiddler picks Jess. The warm, glowing illustrations contribute much to the impact of this remarkable story - a story that celebrates the determination of a one small boy. -- Shelley Townsend Hudson, Booklist, September 1, 1998