African American Literature Reviews-Module Two

Bibliography

Pinkney, Gloria Jean. 1994. The Sunday Outing. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803711999.

Plot Summary

Young Ernestine was born in North Carolina near her aunt and uncle’s farm. She now lives in Philadelphia with her parents but she longs to “go back home” to visit family members she vaguely remembers. Her hopes of returning to the family farm are relived each Sunday afternoon when she and her great Aunt Odessa ride the trolley to the North Philadelphia Station to watch the trains traveling south. As she and her aunt eat their lunch and watch the passengers come and go, Ernestine tries desperately to think of ways to save her parents money so they can afford her train ticket. After everyone in the family chooses to make sacrifices, a ticket for Ernestine is purchased and she is filled with excitement about her train ride. Her days of watching the trains pass by are now over, she will be a passenger going back home.

Critical Analysis

In this prequel to Back Home, the Pinkneys gather their talents to showcase African American cultural markers throughout the text and illustrations. The colored pencil and watercolor paintings depict an array of brown skin tones in the characters of the book. Attention to detail is given with regard to the hairstyles of the neighborhood children with their ponytails and braids as well as the hats worn by great Aunt Odessa. Ernestine is referred to as “youngun” by great Aunt Odessa, and Ernestine’s birth place is considered, “down home”. These are just a few forms of dialect represented in the book. Riding trolley cars, playing games of hopscotch, and listening to the Sunday Gospel Hour on the radio validate the authenticity of the time period. The Pinkneys portray a loving, supportive family in the text and illustrations as they all make sacrifices for Ernestine’s dream to come true. Together they take Ernestine to the station to catch the train to North Carolina. Her great Aunt Odessa even packs a boxed lunch for her journey. These are the family bonds that align with strong family bonds often seen in the African American culture.

Review Excerpts

“In Back Home (1992), Ernestine visited an aunt and uncle down South; this book explains how that journey came to happen. Ernestine loves to go to the North Philadelphia station with her great-aunt to see the North Carolina train. One Sunday, she and Aunt Odessa discuss Ernestine's wish to take the train to the farm. Tickets are expensive, and Mama and Daddy are saving to buy a house; but Aunt Odessa suggests bargaining with them by finding ways to save money….The author captures the family's warm solidarity in a likable narrative that has a good number of casually mentioned period details. Jerry Pinkney's splendid watercolors, too, richly evoke the early 1950s, with main characters springing to life in glowing color against more muted and impressionistic backgrounds painted with extraordinary delicacy and skill. A welcome companion to Back Home.” Kirkus Review starred

“When Ernestine confides to her great-aunt how much she wishes her parents could afford to send her by train to visit her North Carolina relatives, Aunt Odessa advises her to find a way to make up the fare by saving her parents some money. In this prequel to Back Home (Dial), Gloria Jean Pinkney's quiet story and Jerry Pinkney's illustrations provide a loving portrait of an African-American family working to make a dream come true.” Horn Book starred

Connections

Readers might also consider other books with characters experiencing travel, or strong connections to family ties and the sharing of family history as in these titles below:

Flournoy, Valerie. Tanya’s Reunion. Ill. Jerry Pinkney. ISBN 9780803716049
McKissack, Patricia C. Goin’ Someplace Special. Ill. Jerry Pinkney. ISBN 9781416927358
Pinkney, Gloria Jean. Back Home. Ill. Jerry Pinkney. ISBN 9780140565478