All-of-a-Kind Family facts for kids
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| Author | Sydney Taylor |
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| Illustrator | Helen John |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Follett Publishing Company |
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Publication date
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1951 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 149 pp |
| ISBN | 0440400597 |
| Followed by | More All-of-a-Kind Family |
All-of-a-Kind Family is a popular children's book written by Sydney Taylor. It was first published in 1951. The story is about five Jewish American sisters. They live in New York City in 1912. The book shares their adventures and everyday life on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This book was so loved that four more books followed it!
Contents
Discovering the Story Behind the Book
How the Book Began
The author, Sydney Taylor, based All-of-a-Kind Family on her own childhood memories. She grew up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Her family, like many others, moved there from Eastern Europe. The five sisters in the book are even named after Taylor's real-life sisters. Their names were Ella, Henny, Charlotte, and Gertrude. The middle sister, Sarah, was named after Sydney Taylor's own birth name.
Taylor first told these stories to her daughter, Jo. She wanted to share what life was like when she was a child. Taylor wrote: "I decided to write it all down for Jo. Perhaps in this way I could re-create for both of us some feeling of that other life."
From Family Story to Published Book
Sydney Taylor didn't originally plan to publish her stories. But, her husband had a secret plan! He sent the manuscript to a competition called the Charles W. Follett Award in 1951. Guess what? It won! This win started Sydney Taylor's career as a writer. It also led to the creation of a five-book series.
Why This Book is Special
All-of-a-Kind Family is important because it shows what it was like to be Jewish and American. The characters are proud of their Jewish traditions. They also love their American home. This shows how Taylor's own family blended their cultures. A scholar named June Cummins said, "Jewish customs are explained honestly and frankly. Taylor makes them attractive and positive." This helps both Jewish and non-Jewish readers understand and enjoy the story.
Meet the All-of-a-Kind Family
What Happens in the Story?
The book follows the five sisters: Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertrude. They live in Manhattan in 1912. The story covers one year of their childhood. They do everyday chores and find joy in simple things. They love eating candy in bed. They also collect used books from their father's junk shop.
The girls celebrate important Jewish holidays like Purim and Sukkot. They also celebrate American holidays, such as the Fourth of July. The sisters even help their father's friend, Charlie, solve a mystery. By the end of the book, a new family member joins them!
Who are the Main Characters?
- Ella: She is the oldest sister, 12 years old.
- Henny: The second sister, age 10.
- Sarah: The middle sister, age 8. She is based on the author.
- Charlotte: A younger sister, age 6. She often daydreams.
- Gertie: The youngest of the five sisters, age 4.
- Mama: The girls' mother. She is very clever at managing their home.
- Papa: The girls' father. He owns a junk shop.
- Kathy Allen: A friendly librarian who becomes friends with the girls.
- Charlie: Papa's friend. He sells junk and has a mysterious past.
More Adventures: The Sequels
Sydney Taylor wrote four more books after All-of-a-Kind Family. These books continue the sisters' story:
- More All-of-a-Kind Family
- All-of-a-Kind Family Uptown
- All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown
- Ella of All-of-a-Kind Family
The last book was published shortly after Taylor passed away in 1978.
Awards and Lasting Impact
All-of-a-Kind Family won the Charles W. Follett Award in 1951. This award recognized its great contribution to children's literature. It was also the first book to win the Jewish Book Council's National Jewish Book Award for children's literature in 1952.
This book is seen as a very important part of American Jewish children's literature. The Association of Jewish Libraries even named their children's literature award the Sydney Taylor Book Award. This honors Taylor's amazing work. The publisher Lizzie Skurnick said Taylor's stories are "completely singular." They were the first series about a Jewish family. They teach readers about Jewish culture, New York, and life in the early 1900s.
