Valerie O. Patterson (Children's Literature)
In the summer of 1946, seven-year-old Roberta is sent from Washington, D.C. to stay with her grandparents in rural North Carolina until after the birth of her new baby brother or sister. Gramma Louise and Grampa Dave welcome Roberta to the farm where she helps feed the chickens and makes friends with neighboring children. Buried inside Roberta, however, is the hope that the baby will not come for fear that she will no longer be loved. Gradually, Roberta learns to appreciate that she is part of a circle that goes "round and round for years and years." The circle includes her parents and grandparents and everyone else who loves her. The addition of a younger sibling will not diminish the circle but will expand it and encircle her in its love. Although the acceptance plot does not unfold in a unique or compelling way and the writing lacks energy, the story of rural African-American family life from the 1940s shines through with authenticity. The black-and-white illustrations by award winning illustrator Shane Evans add texture and warmth to the story. 2002, Houghton Mifflin, $15.00. Ages 7 to 10.

Fern Kory (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, July/August 2002 (Vol. 55, No. 11))
Seven-year-old Roberta doesn’t want to leave her mother to go “Down South” to visit her loving grandparents on their farm in North Carolina; she’s particularly resentful that what’s driving her away is her mother’s pregnancy (Mama’s been confined to bed). The visit proves largely enjoyable--Roberta makes some new friends, participates in chores on the farm, and travels into town--but she’s nagged throughout by her anxiety about the coming interloper, an anxiety reflected in her awkward interactions with a friend’s baby brother. Grandpa offers Roberta a more positive way to think about the ways family circles grow and change, but it’s a scare at the Children’s Day picnic (her friend Jimmy falls in a well) that seems finally to do the trick. This is an affectionate historical celebration (the novel’s set in 1946) of a close African-American family and a tight southern community, and there’s a great deal of charm in its richly textured evocation of country life. Unfortunately, there’s period atmosphere rather than structure, so that Roberta’s experiences simply aggregate with little emphasis or shaping, and the overlay of psychology is both didactic and too obliquely handled for its audience (who may share Roberta’s unanswered questions about how the baby will come out of Mama). The book’s solid warmth is emphasized and extended by Evans’ sharp-edged and quirky pencil drawings, which invite readers to meet Roberta’s friends and relations and share their old-fashioned pleasures. Though a bit lacking in impact, this is ultimately a wide-eyed story about a summer visit to the farm, suitable for reading aloud to dreamy listeners and handing to youngsters who may have their own country vacations to relate. Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2002, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2002, Houghton, 115p, $15.00. Grades 2-4.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2002)
Seven-year-old Roberta from Washington, D.C., has to stay with her grandparents on their North Carolina farm for the last month of her mother’s pregnancy. She basks in her grandparents’ affection, makes friends, learns local customs, and gradually accepts the idea of a new baby. Psychological insights develop haltingly, but relationships and period details of the 1940s ring true, helped by a few black-and-white illustrations. Category: Younger Fiction. 2002, Houghton, 119pp, $15.00. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 4: Recommended, with minor flaws.