Christmas in Canaan
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Book Overview
I reckon there's nuthin' worth learnin' from the coloreds, DJ answered, again turning to the window.That right? his father asked 'Nuthin' worth learning from them folks?Yeah, DJ said. Nuthin'. Completely nuthin'.In the quiet, rural town of Canaan, Texas, a clash between two classmates -- one, a tough farm boy, and the other, a bright, black, aspiring writer -- spins into anunlikely friendship. When the clever arrangement their families devise to teach DJ and Rodney a lesson seems hopeless, their cooperative effort to heal a wounded puppy helps them move past an unsettled battle. Not surprisingly, the truce that follows becomes an amiable kinship.But can life in Canaan lived under the shadow of racism ever really deliver the milk and honey of the Promised Land? It is amidst the magic of a Christmas they'll never forget that the boys learn a lesson about family, hope and love. And they will know for the rest of their lives that when times are hard, there will always be Christmas in Canaan.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:006000746X
ISBN13:9780060007461
Release Date:January 2002
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Length:336 Pages
Weight:1.00 lbs.
Dimensions:1.1" x 5.8" x 7.6"
Age Range:12 to 17 years
Grade Range:Grades 7 to 12
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
My middle schoolers loved it!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
I tutored middle school students in reading, and this was one of our selections. They loved the story and could relate to the characters easily. Don Davenport has a way to weave a story that keeps your attention and draws you into the lives of each character. It is a heart warming story that we could all take lessons from.
Delightful
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
I loved Christmas in Canaan. I especially liked when they got their Christmas tree and how they put it in the house!
Memoirs of Donald (DJ) Davenport?
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Whoever declared that this book is "... clearly the childhood memoirs of a grown up, black, Donald Davenport..." did not even look inside the back cover. Donald Davenport is my first cousin (our fathers - both now deceased)were brothers - and we share the same and equal parts of Scotch-Irish and English roots! Pleeeeease... just read the book, and don't make this a racial issue, or review. It is a wonderful and heart-warming book. As a writer, myself, I would recommend it to everyone. I have a copy for my grandchildren. harleybagheera
good holiday story
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
This is a story set in a small town in Texas. Rodney and DJ are the main characters. Rodney is a young black boy who is being raised by his grandmother. He is very smart and does well in school. DJ has to work hard and study to get by in school. One day Rodney and DJ get in a fight. They are made to spend the night at each others house as punishment. They start to become friends despite how different they are. The book moved at a fast pace. It kept the attention of the reader well. I would recommend the book to kids ages 11-14. They will gain a lot of knowledge from the story.
Great book! First reviewer is WAY off!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
This is a great book that does indeed have the feeling and makings of tv movie. I personally know Donald Davenport today and I am positive he did not grow up in rural Texas as a young black child. The dustcover obviously displays an adult WHITE Donald Davenport just as he looks today. The book is a story. Fiction. It is a book idea by Kenny Rogers brought to life by Donald. It is not a recollection of an oppressed mans views of his childhood. Please consider this book in your purchases of a quick read that will make you smile and think!
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