Alexandra's Rag-Time Band

Sharon Lynne Garvin
American Literary Press (2006)
ISBN 1561679267
Reviewed by Stephanie and Parish (age 3) Rollins for Reader Views (3/07)

Sharon Lynne Garvin wrote “Alexandra’s Rag-Time Band,” and Brenda Brown illustrated it.  It has 26 pages.  The font is large, and there are not too many words on the pages. 
 
Alexandra becomes sick on the day of the parade.  Her mother would not let her go to the parade, so Alexandra plans her own parade.  She gathers her toys, and she pretends to have a parade with them. 

Alexandra is a pig-tailed, freckle-faced girl.  She is a bit thick in the middle like most toddlers/preschoolers.  She wears yellow, one-piece pajamas that we refer to as “fuzzies.”  Parish kept pointing to her fuzzies.  She has pajamas like that.  She notices the American Flag that Alexandra waves during her parade.  She covers her heart and says the Pledge of Allegiance.  She is such an odd girl. 

“Do you like this book?”
“I like the pink rabbit.”  She gets up and jumps like a rabbit.

“Do you think that is what the Easter Bunny looks like?”
“Yes.  I want to hide Easter eggs.”

“Okay, but let me ask you something first.  Why did you like this book?”
“Look at her pajamas.  They are like mine.”

“Did you see the turtle?”
“He has a drum.”  She runs to the toy room to get her drum. 

“Should we keep this book or give it away?”
“I want it.”  She keeps banging on the drum.

We kept this book on the family room floor for three days.  Parish never picked it up.  I tried to get her to read it with me.  She never wanted to.  I plan to keep “Alexandra’s Rag-Time Band.”  I think she will want to read it in a week or so.  This is a carefree book that celebrates a child’s imagination.

Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (9/06)

“Alexandra’s Rag-Time Band” is about a young girl who gets sick on Fourth of July and must stay in bed and miss the parade.  But she doesn’t let this ruin her day.  Using her imagination and her stuffed animals, Alexandra creates her own parade in her room.  I really enjoyed the play on words with Alexandra’s stuffed animals being named “Rag” and “Time.”

Using rhyme, rhythm, and repetition, Sharon Lynne Garvin has written a short book that gets right to the point.  Her character does not pout or get angry about missing the parade.  She creates her own fun, a lesson that many kids can learn from.  This book can be pulled out on a rainy or sick day to spark the imagination of any child.  The younger ones will enjoy the pictures and rhyming, while the older kids will learn from the story.  Plus it is short enough to read multiple times without seeming tedious to the adult reader.

“Alexandra’s Rag-Time Band” is a fun book.  It is a jumping point for creativity rather than a settle down and read book.  It gets you looking around your own room wondering what toys and animals you could pull together to create a parade and band.  It stimulates the imagination.  Exactly what a children’s book should do!

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