CM December 1, 1995. Vol. II, Number 7

image Let's Play: Traditional Games of Childhood.

Camilla Gryski. Illustrated by Dusan Petricic.
Toronto: Kids Can Press, 1995. 48pp, cloth, $16.95,
ISBN 1-55074-256-6.

Subject Heading:
Games-Juvenile literature.

All Ages.
Review by Lorraine Douglas.

excerpt:

"People have been playing games for thousands of years. Games have been played in different ways in other times and places, but the patterns are always the same. We love to jump and hop, throw and catch, chase and hide."

The queen of string figures -- Camilla Gryski -- bring us another entertaining look at childhood pastimes. She includes counting-out rhymes; variants of tag; hide and seek; hunt the thimble; leapfrog; hopscotch; skipping, ball, clapping, and hand games; and jacks and marbles.

The easy-to-read instructions for the games are accompanied by whimsical and lively drawings done in ink and light washes of watercolour. The illustrator recently did the artwork for Bone Button Borscht by Aubrey Davis (Kids Can, I995) and was an established children's book illustrator in Belgrade before he came to Canada. Interspersed through the book are double-page pictures of people playing the games. These are hilarious as icicles drip from the frozen tag players and chubby grannies hopscotch in the park.

Tantalizing titbits about the historical backgrounds of the games are included.

Highly recommended.

Lorraine Douglas is Youth Services Coordinator for the Winnipeg Public Library.

If you would like to comment on this review or anything else in CM please send mail to cmeditor@mts.net

Copyright © 1995 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364

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