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All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown
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All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown
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All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown
Audiobook3 hours

All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown

Written by Sydney Taylor

Narrated by Suzanne Toren

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Sydney Taylor grew up among immigrant families on New York City's Lower East Side prior to World War I and wrote the All-of-a-Kind Family series for her daughter. This sequel finds talented Ella, mischievous Henny, studious Sarah, dreamy Charlotte, and little Gertie helping Mama with their new baby brother, Charlie. Sydney Taylor’s charming books capture the everyday life of a home with little money but lots of love and good times to share.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 1, 1972
ISBN9781593163631
Unavailable
All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown
Author

Sydney Taylor

Sydney Taylor was an American writer, known for her series of children's books about a Jewish-American family in New York during the early 20th century. Her first book won the Charles W. Follett Award in children's literature.

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Reviews for All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown

Rating: 4.2456140175438595 out of 5 stars
4/5

171 ratings27 reviews

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Summary:This book is about a mom and a dad and 5 step daughters. it was set in New York City around 1900. this book is about all the adventures the girls havePersonal Reaction:I didnt really like this book, it was kinda boring.classroom extention:1. Shows children what it was like in the 19002. shows children that all kids go through stuff.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book is the first in a series about 5 poor little Jewish sisters living with their loving parents in New York City prior to WWI. It is very much a gentle middle grade story, told episodically with only the slenderest of threads keeping it from being related short stories. There is a charm to the novel but it is one that is hard for an adult who doesn't already have fond reading memories of it to pick up and enjoy thoroughly. The historical situation is interesting and the little girls are lovely. The easy introduction of Judaism was natural and likely somewhat exotic when it was published. It seems to me that our world and our experiences are a bit more global now than they were and so it loses a bit of the novelty factor, at least for me and for my non-Jewish but always inquisitive children. Children who enjoy reading about their counterparts in the past will enjoy this series of vignettes and will probably get some good imagination exercising in as they put themselves in the place of these sweet, sunny little girls. Adults may find the excessive cheer and always happy outcomes a bit much but it will appeal to them too if they want an hour or so of sheer, unsullied escapism.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Favorite part: New baby comes after five girls and it is a boy. "Now we're not all-of-a-kind any more," one of the sisters says. Mom: "Yes, we are. We all love each other and care about each other. We're still all-of-a-kind."
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    A memorable story, strong in period details about Jewish family life. Excellent read aloud for any middle grades class room.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this entire series as a child. This, the first one, is more organized by the Jewish holidays as the family goes through their year. The five little girls, growing up in New York City during the early 1900s, learn about their faith and their culture. The reader learns about the world they live in as they explore their neighborhood market for Shabbat, go to the library, head to Coney Island(complete with sideshow), get scarlet fever, and finally learn about having a little brother.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An episodic tale of 5 little Jewish girls living on the East Side of New York City in 1912. Simple scenes of everyday life, with just enough explanation of Jewish holidays and customs to bring understanding to middle elementary readers. A good read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a sweet book with sweet themes. Perfect for a young reader who is able to read chapter books, but who is not yet ready for the darker themes of many children's books.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    These books are nostalgic reminders of how I learned the modern ways of celebrating Jewish holidays a a young girl. These remain beautiful stories of sisterhood and compassionate parenting.Plus, who could forget their Italian friend Guido?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Lovely family story about a family of girls living in New York. I would have loved this as a child.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sydney Taylor's classic book for middle readers is set in the Lower East Side of New York City and depicts the life of a traditional Jewish family in the early 20th century. All-of-A-Kind Family is the first in a series of novels about the lively family and is a sweet, charming read. The story takes the reader through most of year and involves not just the family but their friends and acquaintances, too. The book opens with a chapter about going to the library, and the children's librarian (or "library lady," as the girls like to call her) is a gentle, recurring presence. The children's adventures include a trip to the market, scarlet fever and an outing to Coney Island, where one of the girls gets temporarily, and happily, lost. Meanwhile the story meanders through a year of Jewish holidays and teaches the reader a little about each one. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Shabbat and how Taylor contrasts the hubbub of shopping and preparations with the simple serenity of the day itself. The family relationships struck me as very true and believable- for example, Papa's ambivalence regarding the present the girls get for his birthday and his quick turnaround struck me as realistic and human. I can imagine any parent reacting the way he did initially and then rallying in the end. I appreciate Taylor's honesty about her characters throughout the book, too. It's a great book for anyone and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and sharing in the further adventures of this fun, busy family.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My mom introduced me to this book when I was 8; she read it herself at the same age! I love all of these books about a loving Jewish family. I learned a lot about the religion and I will never get tired of reading them! I also love the companion books!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the first in a wonderful series of books. I read this as a child, and now my son is enjoying it. It is a very wholesome book about a Jewish family, which was an unusual subject for the time period in which it was written. A great starting point for talking about the early 1900's, as well as Judaism.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was so wonderful, lifelike, and touching. I recommend that if you are a girl, woman, or a family you should listen to this story!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    That loving, close-knit Jewish family, five girls and one boy, whose life in New York City during the early years of the twentieth century is chronicled in author Sydney Taylor's five-book series, return in this delightful new adventure, which covers events occurring between All-of-a-Kind Family and More All-of-a-Kind Family. Because it backtracks in the chronology of the series, some readers consider it the second book, although it was published fourth. For my part, More All-of-a-Kind Family will always be the second book, although I admit this may be owing to the prejudice of childhood habit, as I always read it second on my innumerable rereads of the entire series. That said, there is a misconception, it would appear, that this was written, like the fifth book, Ella of All-of-a-Kind Family, long after the others, when in fact it wasn't. All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown was written shortly after the first book, and was intended by Taylor as a sequel. Her publisher, the Chicago-based Follett, wouldn't publish it because it contained a grittier, more realistic depiction of life on the Lower East Side than that seen in the earlier book. As a result, More All-of-a-Kind Family was published instead, and Taylor has to wait until the 1970s to see this title in print. I knew none of this as a girl, but it makes sense to my adult self, as unlike so many other readers, I was never able to spy any significant difference in style between this, and the three earlier books. The themes are a little more serious, but other than that, this in no way stands out, either in my memory or on this latest reread, as being significantly different in feeling, than the others.Leaving all of that aside, All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown is every bit as engaging as its predecessors (if a little more serious), following the ups and downs, joys and sorrows in the life of the eponymous (never named) family. Here we see Henny getting up to her usual mischief, even going so far as to "run away" for one evening, when she is sent home from school with a letter for her mother. Ella is still the responsible eldest sister, and her singing talent once again plays a role, when she is given the part of the jester in her Hebrew School's Purim play. Sarah is as sweet and generous as ever, sacrificing her tenth birthday gift in order to help family friend Guido, while Charlotte has a frightening experience involving some lovely-looking, but very dangerous burning coals. Charlie, born at the end of All-of-a-Kind Family, is still a baby, while Gertie, still quite young herself, is ever-present at all family events and celebrations. In addition to the personal adventures, and religious holidays - Purim, Simchas Torah, and Sukkot all play a role in the story - the family here also become involved in the life of a young Italian-American boy, Guido, whose mother is terribly ill, and who has no other family or friends. Their friendship with Miss Carey, one of the nurses at the nearby Settlement House, is also a theme throughout the book, which takes a much closer look at the poverty and suffering all around the girls. Although there is tragedy here, in the death of Guido's mother from consumption, and the deaths of Miss Carey's son and husband, some time before, there is also love, kindness, and hope, with an unlikely happy ending, in the form of Miss Carey's adoption of Guido.As should be plain from the discussion above, I have no memory of enjoying this one less than the other books in the series, when I was a girl, although I did reread it less often as, unlike the first three, I didn't own a copy of my own. That said, I think I have a greater appreciation for it now, on this reread, than I did as a child, as I now have a better knowledge of some of the realities it is depicting. Just this past year my mother and I visited The Tenement Museum here in New York City, which recreates a number of real-life tenement apartments from various eras in the history of the building, located on Orchard Street, on the Lower East Side. We toured the "Irish Outsiders" exhibit, set during the 1860s and 1870s, and the "Hard Times" apartment, which belonged to an Italian-American family in the 1920s and 30s. Educational, by turns sobering and inspiring, it was a marvelous experience - one I cannot recommend enough! - and I feel it really gave me a better insight into and appreciation of the realities the All-of-a-Kind Family and their neighbors must have confronted, living in the area. I appreciated the inclusion of darker realities here, both as a girl and as an adult, and have never felt that they ruined the story. Taylor, as mentioned, knows how to create hope and instill confidence, even when depicting sad or disturbing truths. Highly recommend to all fans of the first three books about this family, and to anyone looking for children's stories about life on New York City's Lower East Side specifically, or new immigrant enclaves in America's cities generally.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Follow five young sisters in the 1920's, living in the Jewish section of New York City.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    All of a Kind Family is just so amazing! Such a sweet story of a Jewish family living in the early 1900s. So sweet and innocent. I remember reading it when I was younger and loving it, and was beyond excited when I found out it was a series. The five little girls are so adorable. Their personalities are so unique and different, yet they get along so well. A must must read for pretty much anyone! Especially girls. 6 out of 5 stars! ;)

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think that this book is perfect for a fourth grader. It leads the reader on a journey through the holidays of the Jewish year as experienced by five sisters living on the lower east side of Manhattan in 1912 with their hard working father who has a rag and junk business and their loving and fair mother. There is a visit to Coney Island and Playland, the building of a succos house, celebration of Purim. The descriptions of the Jewish holidays are folded into the day to day lives of the children who operate as a tightly knit group.

    Very charming, with a hint of romance between the Gentile librarian and fellow junkman Charlie.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is good for the touching stories and the history of observant Jews on the Lower East Side. I loved it years ago, and my grandchildren love it now,
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A sweet book about a Jewish family living in the Lower East Side in the early 20th century. From what I read online, this seems to be the first book about a Jewish family written for a mainstream audience. I absolutely love how this book casually demonstrates the way in which different cultures can coexist peacefully together.

    I pre-read this for my daughter, who is an advanced reader. It put me in mind of the Little House on the Prairie series, and is a great selection for sensitive, gifted readers who might not be ready for some of the material in other books on this reading level (such as Harry Potter).

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In 1912, on the East Side of New York City, lives a Jewish family of a mother, a father, and five girls: Ella (the grown-up one), Henny (the troublemaker), Sarah (the logical one), Charlotte (the dreamer), and Gertie (the baby). The girls love candy, and books, and although they don't have much money they can always find ways to entertain each other. This is the first in a series of really cute books that I read when I was little. The girls are all different and are really fun, and it's a great introduction to Jewish customs. Several Jewish holidays are described throughout the book, from the perspective of the extremely excited little girls. I think these appealed to me more than the Little House books and Anne of Green Gables books when I was a kid, because these girls lived in a city, like I did. I enjoyed this trip down memory lane, although there is not much more to appreciate here as an adult than as a kid.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh my goodness. I loved this so much. I wish that I had read it as a child so that I could have had years of rereading it. The story of these five sisters is so charming and it really does make you want to be one of them.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A heart-warming, gently humorous and informative family story, my one main regret is that I only recently discovered Sydney Taylor's All-of-a-Kind Family (I would have loved this delightful story as a child, or a teenager, and am now keener than ever to read the rest of the series, but the sequels are, unfortunately, not nearly as readily available as the first book of the series).Wonderful, delightful episodes show the joys, the struggles and the close family and neighbourhood ties of a Jewish-American family in early 20th century New York City. I love how the different Jewish holidays, how Jewish cultural and religious traditions are depicted and shown throughout the story, informatively, but with no hint of didacticism. And I especially appreciate how the all-of-a-kind family also shares its traditions with friends who are not Jewish (specifically Charlie and the Library Lady, who actually end up rekindling, rediscovering their romance, which had been thwarted by Charlie's bigoted and judgmental parents). In today's world, where multiculturalism, where different cultures are again so often under attack and scrutiny, All-of-a-Kind Family clearly and lovingly demonstrates that different cultures can not only exist and peacefully coexist in a country, in a city, in a neighbourhood, but that these different cultures can and should be shared, that sharing one's cultural heritage leads to increased tolerance and understanding (and that even though we might have different cultural and religious traditions, we are basically all quite similar in many ways). Recommended for anyone (both children and adults) who enjoys warm family tales, as well as anyone interested in learning about Jewish-American culture and traditions.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Listened to Listen and Live eaudio edition narrated by Suzanne Toren over the course of a month or so. This worked really well for a now and then listen because it's very episodic. Would be a great recommendation for families looking for gentle reads. I really enjoyed learning about how the family celebrated Jewish holidays.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I’d skipped this one and the Ella book when I read books 1, 3, and 4 because I’d been informed that this one had been written later (turns out not to be true, though it was published later) and that the tone and story were too different, and it was not worth reading. For me it was very worth reading, and I wish I’d read them “in order” meaning in the chronological order of the ages/lives of these family members. I do wish I’d read this book right after the first book. It’s just as good and the style & storyline fit in well with the other 3 books, All-of-a-Kind Family, More All-of-a-Kind Family, and All-of-a-Kind Family Uptown. The fifth Ella book seems least popular and I’m not sure whether or not I’ll read it, but I probably will eventually; I’d have rather the focus been on Sarah (Sydney). I’ve always felt particularly fond of Sarah, and did again here too, and this time I also had a particular soft spot in my heart for Henny. The additions of Guido and Miss Carey were wonderful. This story is a series of connected vignettes in a year in the life of this Jewish family. Wonderfully atmospheric historical fiction mostly taking place in NYC’s Lower East Side. I always learn a lot when I read these books. The characters are memorable and endearing. Charming illustrations.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Chalk up another crushing disappointment to re-reading an old favorite. I'm certainly still fond of the characters, but this book feels awkward. The dialogue is stilted, the plot clunky, and the illustrations just stink. There's certainly a place for Beth and Joe Krush, I love their work in several books- but their drawings here make my teeth hurt- their free, almost messy style doesn't gibe with Mama's bandbox neatness.

    This one's not going back on my shelf (which is to say, goodreads friends, if you want it, it's yours).
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This series of books makes a great addition to a young person’s book collection. Written in the 1950’s, it chronicles the lives of five young Jewish girls living New York City during the early 1900’s. It ties together the themes of immigrants, Judaism, and American patriotism in a way that few books for young readers can. These stories could be criticized for romanticizing or trivializing the struggles of Jewish immigrants. My answer to this argument is that these books were written for young independent readers. Concepts presented in books for this age group must be enjoyable and interesting so that comprehension is easily achieved and the student experiences that boost in self-esteem that comes from finishing a book! This series is great for the young reader because they are just wholesome, happy reads. They describe the antics of a group of sisters who usually get along, sometimes fight, and sometimes disobey their parents. These books also give the young reader an opportunity to learn about some Jewish traditions right along with the young characters in the story. Library Implications: These books bring forth so many different opportunities for learning through print; it is hard to limit the options listed here. The lives of immigrants in New York could be studied, focusing research perhaps on one tenement community. The concept of Jewish traditions and holidays can be explored, using technology to watch video clips of celebrations very different from American customs. American history in the early 1900’s could also be a topic of study. These stories take place right before the start of World War 1, so older students could explore the causes of the war and how if effected immigrant families.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    All-of-a-Kind-Family is a nice look at life in turn-of-the-century New York, the life of an immigrant family, and the Jewish customs and culture. It is very fun to peek into the difference in lifestyle that this book presents. My only complaint is that it is indeed highly episodic: each chapter holds little connection with the one before or following. It takes a little while to get into the mode of how it is written, but is an enjoyable book none-the-less.