¶ … Bambara, 1981) the author Toni Cade Bambara presents, at the superficial level, from a child's perspective, a visit to the F.A. O Schwarz Toy Emporium in Manhattan, of the protagonist and her friends led by the resident gadfly, busboy and self-appointed educator Miss Moore. The protagonist Sylvia, and her comrades -- Sugar, Junior, Rosie Giraffe, Mercedes, Flyboy, Big Butt, Q.T. And Junebug are African-American children growing up in the poorer neighborhoods of New York.
In order that their children might imbibe some culture and learning, the parents willingly "give their" children over to Miss Moore. On this particular day, they are bundled into two taxis into downtown...
After some window shopping, they are led into the store. The children realize immediately that any of the store's inventories is way beyond their economic means. Sylvia actually considers various necessities that her mother might prioritize rather than purchase a 35 dollar toy. The children find it hard to comprehend how a toy-yacht could cost over $1,000 where one could be procured in the "neighborhood" for 50 cents; and if such a toy was destroyed necessitating another, it would involve a spanking. The children return embittered, wondering that this hot summer day could have been better spent "cooling off" at the pool.
One suspects that Miss Moore's excursion…
