Anna All Year Round Read online

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  Afterword

  WHEN MY MOTHER WAS EIGHTY YEARS OLD, SHE wrote a reminiscence of her Baltimore childhood, intending it for her grandchildren. She wanted them to know what the world was like when she was a little girl in 1913.

  After reading Mom's account, I asked her if she'd mind sharing her memories with other children. Although she thought no one but her family could possibly be interested in her life, she gave her permission.

  I must admit I changed some of the details and made up a few stories of my own, but that's the nice thing about writing fiction—I don't have to stick to the facts.

  Mother is now over ninety. Her father was right about the world. In the years that have passed since Anna roller-skated down the hill on Bentalou Street, many things have changed—some for the better and some for the worse. Cars, for instance, have replaced horses. The lamplighter is gone. At dusk, city lights come on automatically. Trolleys are no more (though you can still ride a summer car just like Uncle Nick's at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum). Public School 62 has been replaced by a modern building.

  But some things have stayed the same, just as Anna knew they would. Children still roller-skate on city streets. They go to birthday parties. They build towers with Erector sets. And on hot summer nights, they sit on their front steps and stare at the moon and the stars, der Mond und die Sterne.

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  German Words and Phrases

  CHAPTER 1

  The Language of Secrets

  Möchtest du mehr Would you like more

  Kaffee, May? coffee, May?

  Ja bitte, Lizzie. Yes, please, Lizzie.

  Was denkst du von What do you think of

  Julianna's neuem Freund? Julianna's new friend?

  Ich mag ihn nicht. I don't like him.

  Mein kleiner Zuckerwürfel My little sugar lump

  Gesundheit! God Bless!

  Auf Wiedersehen Good-bye

  Bitte Please

  Danke Thank you

  Gute Nacht, Mutter Good night, Mother

  Sprichst du Deutsch, Do you speak German,

  Anna? Anna?

  Gute Nacht, Vater. Good night, Father.

  Gute Nacht, Tochter. Good night, daughter.

  CHAPTER 5

  Christmas Wishes

  Fröhliche Weinachten! Merry Christmas!

  Fröhliche Weinachten, Merry Christmas,

  Mädchen! daughter!

  "Stille Nacht" "Silent Night"

  CHAPTER 6

  Anna's Birthday Surprise

  Was ist das? What is this?

  Ach, mein kluges Liebling! Oh, my clever darling.

  Das Eis Ice cream

  Der Kuchen Cake

  Herzlichen Glückwunsch Happy birthday!

  zum Geburtstag!

  Liebling Darling

  CHAPTER 8

  Fritzi and Duke

  Ach, mein kleiner Hund. Oh, my little dog.

  Böser Hund, komm her! Bad dog, come here!

  Hilfe, hilfe! Help, help!

  Nein, Anna! No, Anna!

  Ach, mein Liebling. Oh, my darling.

  Guten Tag Good day

  Altmodisch Old-fashioned

  Meine Schwester My sister

  CHAPTER 11

  Ladyfingers

  Henrietta ist rundlich, Henrietta is plump,

  nicht fett. not fat.

  Tante Henrietta ist fett, Aunt Henrietta is fat,

  sehr fett! very fat!

  Anna ist ein kluges Mädchen. Anna is a clever girl.

  Der Mond und die Sterne The moon and the stars

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  Anna Elisabeth Sherwood poses with her father, Ira Plumley Sherwood, and her mother, Elisabeth Mary Reuwer, in 1914. Anna is wearing a dress hand-sewn by her mother and one of her best hair ribbons. When Anna was eighty years old, she wrote a memoir about growing up in Baltimore. Her daughter, Mary Downing Hahn, saw the treasure in those memories and created Anna All Year Round based on her mother's stories.

  CLARION BOOKS

  215 Park Avenue South

  New York, New York 10003

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