Historical Fiction #1

Author: Patricia Polacco
Title: Pink and Say
Publisher: Philomel Books Date: 1994

Age level: Elementary (3-4)

Summary:

A white Union soldier named Say is injured in the Civil War, and a black Union soldier, Pink, finds him and carries him home to care for him. They are both boys the age of 15, and Pink’s mother cares for them while they are staying. Pink and Say talk about slavery and decide they have to go back to the war, to keep Pink’s mom out of danger. The day they are to leave, Pink’s mom tells them to be brave, but then Marauders come and shoot Pink’s mom. They bury her and vow to be brave as they set out, but they are captured by Confederate soldiers. They are brought to a prison camp and separated. Eventually Say is released, but Pink was killed in the camp.

Strengths:

This story has been passed down from generation to generation from Say himself. It is a great story of friendship, and tells a lot about the horrible ways of war. At the same time, it shows how things change and how the civil war was necessary with all the hatred present in the United States. It is a great educational book, and it tells how children were involved in the war too. It would help kids be able to relate, and to learn about the different time people lived in then. The illustrations greatly enhance the story, and there is a lot of great vocabulary. There is also a great usage of different dialects.

Concerns:

This story is based on a real life account, which talks about two deaths. For younger grades it could be pretty upsetting. Also, the dialect could be a little confusing (but it adds so much to the story!) so the teacher should make sure to go over that beforehand. Otherwise this is a great book, full of life and history.

Classroom use/Other comments:

This is definitely something to be used in conjunction with a history class- specifically a civil war unit. The teacher has a lot of options and ways to use this book in the classroom.