Diary entries from a farm girl that visits the city with her family. Cute story for children and gives a different perspective of life while showing that we are all similar. ( )

This story shows the journey of a young Amish girl seeing the big city of Chicago for the first time in her life. She writes in her diary explaining what she sees each day and comparing them to her small town life on the farm. I loved the contrast the illustrator had on every other page. The page he had with the diary entry shows the extravagance of city life and the colors and "hustle and bustle", but when you turn the page, you see...and almost feel the difference of a quiet, reserved Amish lifestyle. ( )

30 months - we always love David Small's illustrations. He can say a lot with his images before the first word is read. I like the diary or letter concept, it was very successful in Stewart's The Gardener, but I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much and I don't think O could follow the story as well.

In this book, Hannah - a young Amish girl - travels with her mother to Chicago for a week-long trip on unspecified business. Each night Hannah writes in her diary about what she's seen in the big city and how it compares to her simpler country life.

I stumbled upon this book at the library today when looking for something completely different but on the same shelf. This book caught my eye because the illustrator is David Small. When I read his memoir Stitches several years back, I learned that he was a children's book illustrator. However, I had never read any of the books he illustrated. Seeing one now, I felt compelled to pick it up and check it out.

Small employs an interesting style of illustrations here, which serve to complement the book's country versus city life theme. One page spread is accompanied by the text of Hannah's diary. It will show a rather busy-looking city scene that is almost overwhelming at times. It will also portray Hannah writing in her diary, in a simple black-and-white illustration with little shading or other effects. The following page spread will have an illustration only and will depict something back home that Hannah eluded to in her diary entry. This makes for an interesting reading experience in which the illustrations truly are integral to the story's themes and impact.

This is an interesting read that touches upon themes of home versus travel, the unknown versus the known, etc. It's a rather unusual book in that Hannah being Amish is simply a fact and not necessarily something that is highlighted as a huge difference or what-have-you. Overall, I would recommend this book with the caveat that adults will have to explain some things about it, including the Amish culture. ( )

Another cool book by Sarah Stewart. This one is about an Amish or Mennonite family that goes to the city for the main character's birthday. She is completely enthralled by the entire experience. This book could be read in conjunction with a lesson on noticing. That's all that the girl does on every page. She writes in a personal journal about the things she finds and connects them to things in her own life. Very well presented. Similar to a couple other Stewart stories in the way that they were presented. ( )