About herself, the narrator says only, “They weren’t the same religion as I was.” It’s later, in the background of one of the pages, that we see the icon corner and vigil light in her living room and learn what her faith is. The words tell us that Miss Eula and her grandsons are Baptist. They convey things that aren’t included in the words. Which is exactly what ought to happen when you look at the illustrations in a picture book. And the details add depth and richness, not only to the art, but to the story. I love the fact that I see more details in the illustrations every time I read the book. Oh, my, how I love the hats! What the Pictures Say I love the way that the same illustration can include elements as whimsical as a Rie Muñoz painting and as realistic as a photograph.Īnd I love the bright colors and patterns – the dresses and upholstery with fabrics that look like they were designed by Mary Engelbreit.Īnd the hats.

I love the way the pictures include large masses of color and tiny details.

My husband didn’t care much for the art in Chicken Sunday, but I love it. They are solid and substantial and so very, very real, both in the story and in the art. The third child, who narrates the story, is an Orthodox Christian girl from Ukraine. Two of the children, Winston and Stewart, are Miss Eula’s grandchildren. Miss Eula is an African-American woman, a Baptist, and a grandmother. It’s about humility and grace and forgiveness and love. It’s the story of how three children who love Miss Eula buy a gift for her, and about how they make amends with Mr. Polacco’s response must have been to say that, while the story takes place in the days leading up to Easter, it’s more than an Easter story. And I can imagine the conversations at the publisher’s office about that: “You must have Easter eggs on the cover! How else will someone shopping at the bookstore know it’s an Easter book?” I think Ms. That’s unusual for an Easter book, of course. I suppose I should start with the fact that, while Chicken Sunday is an Easter book, there is neither bunny nor basket nor egg on the cover. I love so many things about it, I hardly know where to begin. I’ll start with Chicken Sunday, a beautiful picture book by Patricia Polacco.

Every Thursday from now through the last Thursday in Great Lent, I’ll review a picture book related to Pascha or Easter. But maybe you got that last year, and you want a different book this year, but you can’t find one you like.

How do you find really good Easter or Pascha books for your little one? Well, you could just order a copy of Catherine’s Pascha for them.

Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco