  | One of a kind : the life of Sydney Taylor Author: Michelson, Richard | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Here is the true story of how Sarah Brenner, a poor girl from New York City's Lower East Side, became Sydney Taylor: dancer, actress, and successful children's book author.
| Illustrator: | Green, Sarah |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (12/01/23)
Booklist (01/17/24)
The Hornbook (00/03/24)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 01/17/2024 Born in 1904, Sydney Taylor grew up in New York’s Lower East Side, referred to in Michelson’s text as “the smelliest, noisiest, most crowded neighborhood in the world.” Yet Taylor’s warm childhood memories, retold as fiction in All-of-a-Kind Family (1951) and its four sequels, reflected her happiness as one of five sisters observing religious holidays within a loving, Jewish family and learning American traditions at a nearby settlement house. As an adult, she danced with Martha Graham’s company, did secretarial work, supported progressive causes, married, and raised a family. While reading to her children, she reflected on the continuing lack of Jewish characters in books for young people and decided to remedy the situation by writing stories based on her own childhood. The colorful illustrations provide lively character portrayals and settings for the story. The book’s title refers to Taylor’s individuality, contrasted with the five young sisters’ “all-of-a-kind” look, due to their similar clothing. Additional details about Taylor’s life appear in the back matter. Highly recommended for kids who have enjoyed reading or listening to Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family series. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
