Pitching In for Eubie (review)

The entire family is thrilled when Eubie gets her college acceptance letter with a full academic scholarship. A slight pause interrupts their jubilation when they read the part about having to come up with three thousand dollars for living expenses, but Papa insists they can do it, because, he says, "dreams are meant to come true." While the whole family quickly figures out what they can do to raise money, younger sister Lily feels left out. While she helps by doing her chores without complaining, she itches to actually make some money for the cause, finally hitting on a winner when she takes care of an elderly woman while the lady's family is out of town. This is an important and unusually frank acknowledgment that a free ride isn't free, and that it's up to an entire family to make the sacrifices necessary for the success of each member. Both story and art make it a little difficult to get a hold of the proceedings, however. The text conveys more message than character, and Lewis' generally luminous and emotionally evocative watercolors falter in their tendency toward indistinct faces, further impairing the audience's involvement with the family. The rural setting is likewise indeterminate in terms of era, making it difficult to assess whether the patchwork of jobs the family manages to cobble together will indeed get them to their dollar mark. Still, Lily's desire to be a key player in this sweet tale of family cooperation may resonate with young audiences, and her story persuasively communicates the power of persistence in achieving your goals.