Status
Available
Call number
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Publication
Bethlehem Books (2007), Edition: Commemorative, 44 pages
Description
When winter finally brings snow and ice to their Friesland village, nine-year-old twins Evert and Afke and their classmates are delighted when their teacher announces that the class is going on an all-day ice skating picnic.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Yes, cute enough. However, utterly predictable, simple story of children who are having too much fun to stay completely safe, hence the thin plot of a series of adventures. On the other hand, for its time, probably a special book. As Edna St. Vincent Millay says her introduction, thank goodness
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it's not a syrupy moral fable, featuring dull... tiresome... Miss Good [and] Master Naughty." The children are good, but not unbearably so. And the sexism is awful, but apt for the time." Show Less
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Chosen as a Newbery Honor Book in 1935 - the other titles to be so honored that year include Elizabeth Seeger's Pageant of Chinese History and Constance Rourke's Davy Crocket, while the medal winner was Monica Shannon's Dobry - this delightful tale opens one cold January morning in the small Dutch
Published in 1934, A Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic was author/artist Hilda van Stockum's very first book, and was based upon her childhood in the Netherlands. The edition I read was a Bethlehem Books reprint from 2007, and it included a brief introduction from van Stockum, written in 1994 for an earlier reprint. I was glad to read this introduction, which provided a brief bit of background to the writing of the story and the creation of the artwork, but was also glad that the original foreword, written by poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, the aunt-in-law of van Stockum, was reproduced on the back cover, so that I could read that as well. The story itself is simply delightful, full of incident and fun, but utterly lacking "drama," in the contemporary social conflict sense. The artwork, whether the lines drawings sprinkled throughout, or the full-color plates, was utterly charming, and added to my reading pleasure immeasurably. I never encountered this one as a child, and I now regret it, as I think it would have been a favorite. It reminded me (inevitably) of Hans Brinker; or, The Silver Skates, given the setting and theme, but it has been so many years since I read the latter that I am not sure how it compares. Perhaps I'll have to track it down, and reread it, in order to see. I will certainly need to track down more from van Stockum, and that is surely a ringing endorsement!
Although formatted like a picture-book, A Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic is actually a heavily illustrated chapter-book, suitable to children with the attention span for longer stories, and for youngsters getting going with longer fiction. Wholeheartedly recommended!
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village of Elst, in the province of Friesland. Nine-year-old twin siblings Evert and Afke had been longing for snow, and their wish had been granted in the night. The delights didn't end there however, as they soon learned at school, where Teacher informed them that he had permission to take the entire class on an all-day skating trip to the nearby town of Snaek. The day itself provided an entertaining series of experiences and adventures, from drinking hot cocoa at one of the booths set up along the canals, to seeing a real artist at work, painting a winter scene. When Evert fell through the ice, shy Simon came to his rescue, winning the admiration of all. But it was only when he joined Evert, Jan and Okke in their misadventure in the church bell tower, once the class had arrived in Snaek, that he truly cemented his friendship with the more popular Evert. After much excitement, the class finds its way back to Elst, having spent a joyful day on skates...Published in 1934, A Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic was author/artist Hilda van Stockum's very first book, and was based upon her childhood in the Netherlands. The edition I read was a Bethlehem Books reprint from 2007, and it included a brief introduction from van Stockum, written in 1994 for an earlier reprint. I was glad to read this introduction, which provided a brief bit of background to the writing of the story and the creation of the artwork, but was also glad that the original foreword, written by poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, the aunt-in-law of van Stockum, was reproduced on the back cover, so that I could read that as well. The story itself is simply delightful, full of incident and fun, but utterly lacking "drama," in the contemporary social conflict sense. The artwork, whether the lines drawings sprinkled throughout, or the full-color plates, was utterly charming, and added to my reading pleasure immeasurably. I never encountered this one as a child, and I now regret it, as I think it would have been a favorite. It reminded me (inevitably) of Hans Brinker; or, The Silver Skates, given the setting and theme, but it has been so many years since I read the latter that I am not sure how it compares. Perhaps I'll have to track it down, and reread it, in order to see. I will certainly need to track down more from van Stockum, and that is surely a ringing endorsement!
Although formatted like a picture-book, A Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic is actually a heavily illustrated chapter-book, suitable to children with the attention span for longer stories, and for youngsters getting going with longer fiction. Wholeheartedly recommended!
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Awards
Newbery Medal (Honor Book — 1935)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1934
Physical description
8.75 x 7.5 inches
ISBN
1932350187 / 9781932350180