Monday, March 16, 2009

The Braid


Frost, Helen. The Braid. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006.

[Book cover credit: www.alibris.com]


Genre: Historical Fiction

Annotation:
During the Highland Clearances families were forced to leave Scotland and consequently, families were torn apart. This collection of narrative poems alternating from one sister to the other illuminates the powerful love and bond between sisters/best friends.

Booktalk Review:
Could you imagine living without your best friend? In The Braid, two Scottish sisters are forced to separate during the Highland Clearances as one leaves with the rest of their immediate family for Canada and the other stays behind hiding with their grandmother. Even though it takes place in the 19th century, this story of the bond of sisterhood and friendship transcends time. Similar to the locks of each other's hair that wear braided in their own, they remain close to each other's hearts. How strong is the bond of The Braid?

Awards, Recognitions, Honors, etc.:
  • YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007
  • 2007 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book
  • 2007 Honor Book: "Lion and the Unicorn" Award for Excellence in North American Poetry
  • School Library Journal "Best Books of the Year, 2006"
  • Kirkus Reviews "Editor's Choice, 2006"
  • NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
  • Notable Book in Historical Fiction, 2007, for the Children's Literature Assembly (CLA), an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
  • Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee "Best Children's Books of the Year, 2007"
  • Cooperative Children's Book Center "CCBC Choices 2007"
  • Special Recognition: 2007 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
  • 2008-2009 Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards Master List
Author's Website:
http://www.helenfrost.net/


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