Ellen's Broom

A spirited story filled with the warmth of a close family celebrating a marriage before God and the law.

Lyonss (One Million Men and Me) modest story, set during Reconstruction, illuminates a historical milestone as well as the African-American slavery-era wedding ritual of broom jumping. After slavery ends, Ellen and her family rejoice with other members of their church when the deacon announces that the law will now recognize the marriages of former slaves. This includes Ellens parents, who tell their children about the tradition of broom weddings, in which slave couples (whose unions were not always honored by their masters) held hands and leaped into life together while jumping over a broom. Ellen carries the broom her parents used as they join other couples walking to the courthouse to officially register their marriages; she then decorates the broom with flowers to create a bouquet for her mother. The narrative has a loving, homespun tone, though the storys emotions feel subdued. Minters (The First Marathon) vibrant linoleum block prints which use springtime colors for the present day and sepia tones for flashbacks to the time of slavery give the book more of an emotional charge. Ages 5 8. Agent: Dwyer & OGrady. (Jan.) Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

K-Gr 3--According to an author's note, while Lyons was researching family history, she learned of the role played by the Freedmen's Bureau in authenticating the unregistered marriages of former slaves. This Reconstruction-era story imagines what that experience would be like. After their preacher announces the opportunity to register and be considered legally married, Ellen's parents and siblings gather around the broom hanging above their hearth. Papa explains the custom of "jumping the broom"--the ritual enacted by slaves to signify marital commitment: "we put this here broom on the ground, held hands and leaped into life together." The family then walks to the courthouse where Mama and Papa are married, with Mama holding the broom, which is later hung above the fireplace. Minter's striking hand-painted linoleum block prints create a range of physical and emotional settings as the parents reflect on their past and celebrate the significance of being "legal." Warm brown faces reflect the brilliant golden rays filling the church in a colorful opening imbued with joyous reverence. A muted palette with softer borders is employed for flashbacks, such as that of a husband and wife being cruelly separated by a master. The pink of the protagonist's dress connects to the flowers she and her sister gather to decorate the broom, as it becomes a link between their heritage and futures. Lyons's homespun and heartfelt dialogue combines with Minter's exquisite use of line, color, and composition to produce a story that radiates deep faith and strong family bonds.--Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.