Description
"A powerful grouping of thought-provoking poems and brilliantly designed paintings."
-- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
"This ambitious work offers a bit of poetry, history, folk art, quilting, religion and more. Itwill definitely fill a niche in libraries."
-- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)
A moving, memorable poetry collection shaped around expressive quilt patterns and the stories of enslaved people in America.
This rich and intricate collection of poems from author Cynthia Grady chronicles the various experiences of enslaved people in the United States. Named for traditional quilt block patterns like Log Cabin, Cotton Boll, and Schoolhouse, each poem--ten lines of ten syllables each--mimics the square shape of a quilt block.
Readers experience slavery in America through fourteen different perspectives, including a woman humming "Gilead" as she quilts, a mother losing her daughter to the auction, a child discovering the freedom of learning, and a young man fleeing on the Underground Railroad.
Brought to life by vivid, expressive artwork from Michele Wood, this stirring and eloquent book offers a timeless witness to the hardship endured by enslaved men, women, and children. Each poem is supplemented by historical information and notes on quilting, musical, and spiritual references in the text.
Product Details
| Publisher | Eerdmans Books for Young Readers |
| Publish Date | January 01, 2012 |
| Pages | 34 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Hardback |
| EAN/UPC | 9780802853868 |
| Dimensions | 12.1 X 9.4 X 0.3 inches | 1.1 pounds |
About the Author
Reviews
"Each of [Grady's] free-verse poems about the African slave experience consists of 10 lines of 10 syllables that, as laid out on the page, mimic the square shape of a quilt block. They also include three references -- to spirituality, music, and fabric arts -- that reflect the three layers of a quilt. . . . Wood's intricate illustrations reflect folk art motifs and vibrantly express the rich culture of African American slaves."
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A powerful grouping of thought-provoking poems and brilliantly designed paintings."
School Library Journal (starred review)
"This ambitious work offers a bit of poetry, history, folk art, quilting, religion and more. It will definitely fill a niche in libraries."
The Horn Book
"A stunning achievement for both author and artist."
Publishers Weekly
"Newcomer Grady's compact poems about the lives of slaves cover an emotional range from gossamer ("Like the wren's/ song, she hits the grace note just so") to leaden ("drag my heart clean/ out of my chest"). . . . The notes anticipate classroom use, where discussion will arise from the varied aspects of slavery -- companionship between the master's children and slave children, early horse racing's domination by slave labor, and more -- that Grady covers in this well-researched collection."
Christian Library Journal
"Grady does an excellent job of sensitively portraying the harsh realities of slave life through the heartbreaking beauty of poetry that is simple on the surface but complex and purposeful in structure, content, and theme. . . . This compilation of poetry is moving and rich in substance."
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