Pink and Say

Polacco, P. (1994). Pink and Say. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Brief Annotation: Set during the Civil War, this story tells the tale of Pink and Say. Sheldon, a White boy nicknamed Say, is laying wounded in a field and is found by Pink, an African American fighting on the Union side. Pink brings Say home to his family, where he is taken care of by Moe Moe Bay, Pink's mother. Pink even teaches Say how to read! When Moe Moe Bay is unexpectedly killed, the boys are captured and taken to a town where Pink is hanged, but Say lives on to tell their story.

Genre: Historical fiction, picture book.

Grade Level: 4-8

Readers who will like this: Students learning about the civil war, students learning about diversity.

Response/Rating (1-4): ****. One of the most powerful childrens books I have ever read. It brought me to tears, especially some of the artwork. I was surprised at how mature the content was, but I think the importance of the story can and should be taught to a younger audience.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What is racism?