Chicken Sunday

Patricia Polacco does it again in this lovely tale of three best friends who, despite differences in race, religion and gender, considered themselves family. When Stewart and Winston's Gramma Eula Mae - who stood in the position of a "babushka" to Russian-Jewish Trisha as well - admired a hat in Mr. Kodinski's shop, the three children were determined to get it for her, as an Easter gift. But an incident involving some eggs and some older boys had Mr. Kodinski convinced that they were hateful young vandals. How could they convince him otherwise, while also earning the money necessary to get Miss Eula her hat...?

Chickens Sundays - so named because of the delicious Sunday meals Miss Eula Mae would prepare for the children, after church - show more had me sniffling at the end, which, given that this is Patricia Polacco, probably shouldn't come as a surprise. The characters - from Miss Eula, who sang "like slow thunder and sweet rain"," to Mr. Kodinski, whose tattooed forearm hinted at an explanation for his initial distrust of the children - felt completely real, which, of course, they were. This is, after all - like so many of the author's other books - a story based on Polacco's own childhood, making it all the more moving. show less

“Chicken Sunday” is written and illustrated by Patricia Palacco. I enjoyed this book because it reflects multiculturalism and diversity is a significant yet subtle way. For example, Mrs. Eula and the boys represent a middle/lower class African American family in the 1960’s while Patricia is a young, white, Jewish girl. All of the characters interact with Mr. Kodinski, a Jewish hat shop owner, who the book hints at had been a survivor of the holocaust. The book also reflects how honesty and doing the right thing pays off. An example of this is when the children apologize to Mr. Kodinski by making him traditional Jewish decorated eggs that he later allows them to sell in his store. Patricia Palacco is always a delightful read for show more children and parents. show less

"Drawing on her Oakland childhood, Polacco tells a wonderful story about helping her beat friends get an Easter hat for "gramma." Unlike the narrator, Miss Eula and her two grandsons are Baptists; they're also, in Polacco's vibrantly individual pictorial characterizations, African-Americans. But because of "a solemn ceremony we had performed in their backyard," Stewart and Winston are her brothers; and since "my babushka had died," she also thinks of Miss Eula as her gamma. Hoping to earn the hat Miss Eula admires, the three approach old Mr. Kodinski at the hat shop, only to be angrily mistaken for the vandals who've just hurled eggs at his door. But dismay changes to hope with the idea of making Kodinski some beautifully decorated show more Pysanky eggs as a peace offering. Deeply touched, as much by their "chutzpah" as by the reminder of his Ukrainian homeland, Kodinski lets them sell additional eggs in his shop—and then presents the lovely hat to Miss Eula as a gift. Polacco has outdone herself in these joyful, energetic illustrations, her vibrant colors even richer and more intense than usual, while authentic details—real photos of Miss Eula's family, a samovar and devotional pictures in her own home, even the creative disarray of telephone wires on the dedication page—enhance the interest. A unique piece of Americana, as generously warm as Miss Eula herself, with her glorious singing voice "like slow thunder and sweet rain." (Picture book. 4-9)" mA Kirkus Starred Review, www.kirkusreviews.com show less

This picture book by Patricia Polacco is again an absolute gem. Another (autobiographical) story, it is a glowing and wonderful tale of friendship, understanding, sensitivity, forgiveness (and so much more). [b:Chicken Sunday|443621|Chicken Sunday|Patricia Polacco|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174832214s/443621.jpg|2997896] is a story to make you smile, to make you cry and to make you feel hungry (and not necessarily for Miss Eula's chicken suppers, but more for the friendship, the love and the easy acceptance of different cultures and religions). I really love how the friendship between the narrator (the author as a child) and Stewart and Winston is shown as something "natural" and beautiful, that it is not made to seem exotic, show more strange or even all that remarkable because it is intercultural and interracial (it is just there, and it is a natural, and beautifully natural thing). I find that sometimes, books which really emphasise the supposed, the so-called exotic and remarkable nature of interracial and intercultural friendships can seem somewhat negative to me personally, because friendship is friendship (or should be), and it really does not matter and should not matter if one's friend is of another culture, religion etc. This is avoided in [b:Chicken Sunday|443621|Chicken Sunday|Patricia Polacco|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174832214s/443621.jpg|2997896]. The friendship is just a beautiful friendship, the fact that it is an intercultural and interracial friendship makes no difference. This story is, of course, also somewhat of an Easter story, but it is not primarily a story about Easter, or religion, it is a story about friendship (both the friendship between the three children, but also the developing friendship between the children and Mr. Kodinski).

[b:Chicken Sunday|443621|Chicken Sunday|Patricia Polacco|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174832214s/443621.jpg|2997896] is also a wonderful story about courage, about being brave and doing the "right thing." The three children did not throw eggs at Mr. Kodinski's shop, but because he thought they did, he now basically believes that they are part of the bigoted bullies who had been hurling eggs (and abuse) at him. Going back to his store to not only win him over, but to then ask him for a job, took courage (Mr. Kodinski calls it chutzpah), but of course, it is the home-made pysanky eggs that actually win him over, that actually serve as cementing or beginning to cement his friendship with the three children. I also just love how Mr. Kodsinki is a born merchant and how he (although he does not have the money to hire the narrator and her two friends) finds a way for them to make money. Of course, the best part of the story was and is when Mr. Kodinski gives them the special Easter hat for Miss Eula, how the three children are able to keep their money, but most importantly, how they will now be able to make Miss Eula happy (and thank her for her wonderful and soul-warming chicken suppers), and how Mr. Kodinski is now a friend as well, a good friend who appreciates and likes them. Reading between the lines, you can tell that Miss Eula, while happy about her new Easter hat, is more happy about the thought behind this special gift and the effort the children had to make to obtain it.

The illustrations are again outstanding, and although by themselves, I would not necessarily call them personal favourites, they work wonderfully with the story, the narrative, providing a perfect mirror to and of the text. In fact, the illustrations also go above and beyond the narrative, as two of the illustrations show that Mr. Kodinski is a concentration camp survivor, not only adding to the poignancy of the story itself, but also opening the door for further discussion, especially if reading this book with and to slightly older children. I strongly, no I very strongly recommend [b:Chicken Sunday|443621|Chicken Sunday|Patricia Polacco|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174832214s/443621.jpg|2997896], and I only wish that Patricia Polacco had also included instructions on how to make pysanky eggs in the book; this could be a perfect class project (and one would not even have to use real eggs, wooden pysanky eggs would be an even better project because the "eggs" would last). show less

I have to be honest, and admit that I don't actually enjoy Polacco's books as much as my reading friends do. ?�But I do admire them. ?áAnd this is brilliant, even if you're not Baptist, not an 'outsider' of any background, or, as Lisa V. points out, even if you're vegan. ?áI especially appreciate the details of the backgrounds that distinguish the two homes and the back room of the shop, for example the family photos in Eula's home, the saints' icons and the samovar in the Ukrainian home, and Mr. Kodinski's bright red chairs. ?áAlso the detail that the children dressed up for church, but put play clothes on before Sunday dinner.

Do children like Polacco's books?

After a recent reunion with a family who was so kind to me when I was young, this book resonated in a timely manner, and affirmed the fact that people can make a difference in our lives.

When a young Russian girl befriends African American brothers in her family, they vow to treat each other as family.

Visiting every Sunday, Patricia loves the chicken sunday dinners after church. She grows to thrive in the family and together she and her family of brothers vow to find a way to purchase a hat that Grandmother Eula would love to possess for Easter.

Misunderstood by the shop owner, who stero types them and their intentions, they vow to show they are well intended. When the shop keeper opens his heart and his store to the young group, they show more sell hand made Russian eggs in his store as a way to buy the bonnet.

So impressed with the love the children have for their beloved Grandmother, he boxes the hat and gives it to them for free. show less

Chicken Sunday is a book I personally enjoyed because of the plot twists and unpredictability. While I was reading it, I never could’ve expected for it to end how it did. In my opinion, this is a good book for all ages. It teaches a great moral lesson for kids and shows the innocence and true caring that the main characters have. I found the writing to be very engaging, I was eagerly waiting for every page to find out what was going to happen next. Though many unexpected things happened, like the kids being framed, the story was very easy to follow because of its great organization. The characters were well developed and it was from their point of view. This made it very interesting when they got themselves into trouble because we show more were able to feel and understand their thoughts and feelings. As I mentioned earlier, Patricia Polacco did a great job incorporating problem and solution into the plot to keep it suspenseful for me. As always, her illustrations brought the story to life. Their simple colors and beauty can help readers connect to the story and relate it back to their own personal experiences. show less