Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir

Eloise Greenfield'Three [African-American] women—grandmother, mother, daughter—recall significant aspects of their respective childhoods [from the 1800s through the 1950s]. The effect is poignant and moving [as familiar patterns develop]: household chores, school life and socials, encounters with prejudice, love of family, pride of heritage.' —H.

Notable 1979 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
1980 Carter G. Woodson Outstanding Merit Book (NCSS)
1979 Children's Book Show (American Institute of Graphic Arts)
Children's Books of 1979 (Library of Congress)

Childhood memoirs of three black women--grandmother, mother, and daughter-who grew up between the 1880's and the 1950's.

Eloise Greenfield‘Three [African-American] women—grandmother, mother, daughter—recall significant aspects of their respective childhoods [from the 1800s through the 1950s]. The effect is poignant and moving [as familiar patterns develop]: household chores, school life and socials, encounters with prejudice, love of family, pride of heritage.’ —H.

Notable 1979 Children’s Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
1980 Carter G. Woodson Outstanding Merit Book (NCSS)
1979 Children's Book Show (American Institute of Graphic Arts)
Children's Books of 1979 (Library of Congress)

Children's Literature

Esteemed children's author Eloise Greenfield teamed up with her mother Lessie Jones Little to create Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir, which tells of the growing-up years of Greenfield, Little and Greenfield's grandmother Pattie Ridley Jones. Rich in detail, the book gives an African-American child's eye view of the South in the late 1800's, World War I, and segregated Washington, D.C., and includes anecdotes and photos of family members to make these people come alive.

Eloise Greenfield's illustrious list of books for young people includes The Friendly Four, a Texas 2x2 Reading List book for 2007, and In the Land of Words, an NCTE 2005 Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts, both illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist, as well as Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems, named a distinguished book by the Association of Children's Librarians. She is a recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award; the Coretta Scott King Award; the Milner Award; the Hope S. Dean Award from the Foundation for Children's Literature; and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Ms. Greenfield lives in Washington, D.C.