Saturdays and Teacakes

Description

A lyrical picture book memoir of one boy and his beloved grandmother, from award-winning author Lester L. Laminack. Every Saturday, a young boy rides his bicycle up and down country roads, past farms and a filling station, until he reaches his Mammaw's house. She is waiting for him. There, the young boy helps her. She picks tomatoes and he pushes the lawnmower through the dew-wet grass. But the best part of the day is helping his Mammaw make teacakes from scratch and eating the hot, sweet cakes fresh from the oven. Lester L. Laminack's richly detailed prose perfectly portrays the special relationship of a young boy and his grandmother. Award-winning illustrator Chris Soentpiet's remarkably detailed watercolor images beautifully capture the setting.

Lester L. Laminack is a specialist in children's literacy and professor emeritus at Western Carolina University. Laminack has written numerous books and articles for educators in addition to his picture books, and he is a sought-after speaker at professional meetings and reading associations nationwide. He lives in North Carolina. Chris Soentpiet graduated with honors from the Pratt Institute of Art in New York City, where he majored in fine arts and minored in education. He has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children. A native of Korea, he lives in New York.

"The impeccably rendered paintings illustrate with astonishing historical accuracy. . . this nostalgic look back offers up the childhood many of us wish we'd had."-Kirkus Reviews "Drawing on his childhood in Heflin, AL, the author splendidly recreates these nostalgic scenes, carefully bringing the memories to life by describing the sunny kitchen, the crunch of gravel under bicycle wheels, and the sweet aroma of the cakes. The brilliant watercolor paintings glow with light and idyllically capture the world of yesteryear."-School Library Journal "Illustrator Soentpiet notes that his model is Norman Rockwell, and this picture book, set in rural Alabama in 1964, certainly evokes Rockwell's idyllic visions of family togetherness. . . the pictures are gorgeous, and the bond between child and grandparent is timeless."-Booklist