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Reviewed by Lois J Wickstrom for Readers' Favorite
Are you interested in Appalachia and the handicrafts of the people who live there? Did you know that people who live there still make their own brooms, instead of buying them at stores? Follow 80-year-old Amos as he collects the things he needs from his nearby woods and fields. Watch him shape the parts and assemble them into a broom that’s perfect for his wife. He makes her at least one broom every year. He has the tools. He grows the broomcorn. He knows just which piece of wood will make a good handle. A Broom for Ma by Rhonda Cable, illustrated by Jackie Duffy, conveys not only the method but also the peaceful mood of the broom-making craft.
Ronda Cable’s carefully chosen words in A Broom for Ma depict the quiet life Amos lives with his wife of 60 years. The steady pace of life comes across in both the rhythm of the language and in Jackie Duffy’s watercolor illustrations. Both author and artist are grounded in Appalachia. Both have roots in south-eastern Ohio. Amos’ world is their world. Rhonda is a former teacher. Her husband makes brooms. The book not only covers broom-making but also discusses how life has changed for Amos as he has aged. Recommended for schools and libraries and everyone who is interested in Appalachia and its handicrafts. The book even refers readers to a website where homemade Appalachian brooms are sold in various sizes. This is a rare book both written and illustrated by people who have lived the life, and who share their love and appreciation for the world where they grew up.
