In the Land of Milk and Honey

K-Gr 2–In lyric, poetic language, Thomas describes the journey her family took from Oklahoma to their new home in California in 1948. Her story captures the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the experience. Reading her words aloud will transport listeners along with Thomas on the train trip: “We ride into late afternoon/past a snake whose body is a pen/writing calligraphy/on the paper-dry earth.” Oil wash paintings depict the love the family shares and the young girl’s excitement, as well as the bountiful fruits and vegetables growing in the sunny environment. The time period is reflected in the clothes, train, and cars. The author’s note explains that her mother’s illness was the impetus for the move, but the story itself does not explore that aspect. Instead, California is depicted as a paradise of racial diversity and economic prosperity. Nostalgic and sweet, Thomas’s word images truly present a “land of milk and honey.”–Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher’s School, Richmond, VA