The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Smothers, Ethel Footman , Smothers, Ethel Footman

The Hard-Times Jar

32 pp. | Farrar/Foster | August, 2003 | Trade ISBN 0-374-32852-8 $$16.00

(3) K-3 Illustrated by John Holyfield & John Holyfield. Emma longs for a store-bought book, but in her migrant farm family any extra money goes in the hard-times jar. Although she knows it isn't allowed, Emma takes home books from school, and Mama makes her tell her teacher--the hardest thing Emma's ever done. Mama rewards her with quarters from the hard-times jar. The moving story, based on the author's own childhood, is accompanied by rich, lively paintings.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley