This is a beautifully written in poem form about what it would have been like to been an African and have your child stolen from you never to know where they are or what happened to them. This story starts with the birth of a baby boy, and his mother dying. His Dad wants to celebrate his birth and honor her with keeping him and raising him as he should instead of giving him to a tribe woman to raise as hers. The dad raises him with the help of his Faith in his God. Teaches his son his Blacksmith trade. Only to have the child stolen when he's a little older and taken to the states. At the back of the book Ms McKissack writes a summary about the book and why she wrote it... I enjoyed the summary just as much as I did the story. Slaves had to endure so much more than they should have had to.... but their strength is what helped them survive. This is a powerful story-in-verse about what it might have been like for those grieving the slaves who were taken. The Dillons are at their best in this book and personified Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water amazingly. Frames around illustrations are never fully closed; the picture breaks out. Am I reading too much into this to say it symbolizes that the people are not forgotten, not left behind in a static picture frame? The Dillons never do anything haphazardly, so I'm sure there's significance there.I love the palette used in this book in particular. One of my favorites of theirs.
I think I need this one for my slavery unit. It provides a different perspective, which is perfect!
—AngelaML
Wonderful African tale using the 4 elements and the story of slavery.
—Kelly
Perfect marriage of powerful imagery in both text and illustration.
—Galway
Beautiful story, beautifully illustrated.
—tedymedy
Coretta Scott King Award 2012?
—b3astFTW
