Title: Pink and Say
Author: Patricia Polacco
Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books, 1994
ISBN: 0-399-22671-0
Summary: This is a book about the Civil War. In the story, a young 15-year-old white man named Say is shot, and a young black man finds him, named Pink. Say talks about how he had never seen someone of color up close before. Then, Pink carries the wounded Say all the way back to his mother's home, where they stay to heal. While at home, the boys each talk about their war experiences, and how they survived. Pink also tells Say about the days of being a slave in the south, as he and his mother still live on the rubbles of the plantation where he was born. The boys then made a plan to leave and head back to war, as staying at home was putting the mother in danger. Before they could leave, though, the marauders were at the door, and everyone was in danger. In the end, the mother gets shot trying to protect the two boys, and the boys try to escape, but end up in a Confederate camp.
Evaluation: Overall, this book was very informative about the events that went on during this time period. It not only talked about the war, but it also talked about slavery too, which added even more history to it. The illustrations were well done and seemed to go with the time period, more than being modern. The text was sometimes hard to follow, as it was written with accents in it, and it was even hard for me to sometimes figure out what the character meant to say. I definitely think that this picture book is aimed at an older audience. There are some harsh illustrations, and the story itself is mature and tough to read. However, it is extremely informative and would teach a lot to children about this historical time.
Rating: I would give this book 4/5 stars.
Pink and Say seems like a great book to show our oneness as a race. We can share similar experiences, such as war, but can also appreciate the differences we go through. I can unfortunately see this happening as a sad effect of civil wars in the 1800s.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment that this particular book is meant for older readers. I have known teachers to use it to introduce the Civil War in middle school history classes. It is really not meant for young children and certainly not for them to read themselves. But, I love the sentiment in this book. It really is a sweet story.
ReplyDelete