Parents' Choice Awards : Books : Poetry
I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery
Spring 2012 Poetry
Ages: 10 & Up
Author: Cynthia Grady
Illustrator: Michele Wood
Publisher: Eerdmans
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5386-8
Hardcover Price: $17.00
Review:
In unrhymed verse, the poet Cynthia Grady explores the emotions of people who were enslaved in the American south. The ten-line, ten-syllable poems express the horrors of children sold away from mothers, the beatings, the fear experienced by runaway slaves. Other poems also express the calm of sewing, the brief happiness of children fishing, the enjoyment of making music. Beneath each touching poem is a half-page of explanatory history. The acrylic on canvas illustrations by Michele Wood are stylized and filled with complex designs reminiscent of quilting patterns. With blues, browns, and greens predominating, they are beautiful, original, and evocative.
Kemie Nix ©2012 Parents' Choice
Kemie Nix is Chairman of Children's Literature for Children (CLC) is a non-profit, tax-exempt, educational organization dedicated to bringing children and books together. Mrs. Nix, a senior book editor for Parents' Choice, has a remarkable sense in selecting books children love to read.
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http://www.eerdmans.com/youngreaders
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802853862/parentschoice-20
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