About the Author

Sydney Taylor (1904–1978) was an American author of children’s literature. She is best known for the five-part All-of-a-Kind series, which is based on her own large family and includes All-of-a-Kind Family, More All-of-a-Kind Family, All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown, All-of-a-Kind Family Uptown, and Ella of All-of-a-Kind Family. After her death, her husband established the Sydney Taylor Book Award in her honor.

Reviews

Gr 3-6-Five young sisters experience life in New York's Lower East Side at the beginning of the 20th century in this reading of Sydney Taylor's story (Follett, 1951). The close-knit group encounters everyday realities such as boring chores, missing library books, and trips to the Rivington Street market, as well as those details which bring the early 1900's to lifeÄscarlet fever, peddlers, and bathing at Coney Island. Woven into the story are the traditions and holidays of the Jewish religion. The girls celebrate the Sabbath with Hebrew prayers, and dress up for Purim so they can deliver baskets to friends and relatives. Suzanne Toren delivers flawless narration, using different accents to distinguish between characters of various cultures and backgrounds. Her intonations and pacing ably reflect the actions and emotions of the characters and fully convey the warmth and humor of the story. This excellent audiobook will find an eager audience in schools and public libraries which need materials reflecting the Jewish culture or serve children who enjoy family stories such as Little Women and Little House on the Prairie.-Paula L. Setser, Deep Springs Elementary School, Lexington, KY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

The classic All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor, illus. by Helen John (1951), starring five sisters living in New York's Lower East Side at the beginning of the 20th century, is now available to a new generation of readers. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.