When the Lights Went Out - Hardcover

Rezensionen

Kindergarten-Grade 2 Turning down a trip to the supermarket, Sally and her sister Melanie find their games interrupted by a power blackout. They take a trip to the bakery and speculate on where the electricity has gone (they suggest Paris, France, or out eating ice cream). Back home, they battle boredom with a game of ``ghost'' that's too scary for Sally. Their mother arrives home and tells a story of their grandfather, whose house was one of the first to have electricity. Just as the children become captivated, the lights come on and mother, in a rush to get back to the store, says, ``Sorry, kids. No more time for stories.'' The abrupt ending is a real disappointment, for readers will wish, like Sally and Melanie, that mother would tell them more. It is also disturbing that such seemingly young children are left without adult supervision and allowed to wander the neighborhood without accounting for their whereabouts. The book has some meritWensell's warm and expressive watercolors sensitively portray the gentle sibling relationship. However, the nonchalant depiction of children in a potentially dangerous situation makes this a marginal choice. Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, Tex.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.