NOT SO VERY LONG AGO

Written by a Parisian, first published in Germany, and erroneously classified in 973.8 by LC, a portrayal of European village life 100 years ago, at its most serene. This edition helps young Americans make a connection by pointing out that their ancestors may include such village craftsmen and schoolchildren. Centering on one family (Anton, a peddler, his wife, and their children John and Laura), Fix follows their activities at school, play, and the local fair; going to the cobbler, tailor, apothecary, etc.; the laborious boiling of laundry; visiting grandparents on a farm in the rolling countryside; and seeing a mill at work. His color illustrations are carefully researched and meticulously rendered, with many details of daily life to discover—a fine complement to the informative text. An attractive European equivalent to a visit to, say, Massachusetts's Sturbridge Village, though the generic nature of the northern European setting may trouble those readers who know the area well. (Nonfiction. 7-10)