Picturebook Review

Title: Pink and Say

Author: Patricia Polacco

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Year: 1994

ISBN: 0-590-54210-9

Format: Pint; Paperback, 48 pages

Summary:
Pink and Say tells the "true" tale of Sheldon Russell Curtis and Pinkus Aylee (two Union soldiers) that meet by chance during the Civil War. The two boys form a special bond as they rescue each other from danger. After Pink's mother dies from a gunshot would from marauders, the two boys are captured and never meet again. The story is about the boys' friendship (one is white and the other is black) and what it means to be soldier during the Civil War.

Audience: 
According to Booklist, this picturebook is for readers ages 5-9, or grades 1-4. I would disagree with this categorization, however, given the amount of text that is on some of the pages. The book is actually quite lengthy for the attention span of the average first grader. In addition to the lengthy narrative, the book is filled with rather difficult vocabulary for first graders such as "marauders."

Scholastic suggests that is it for grades 3-5, which seems more appropriate.

Strengths:
This picturebook does the following things well:

• Introducing young readers to diction (Example: "Lord, Lord, I never thought I'd see my dear boy again," she said as she hugged him. "I been gittin' along, though, Pinkus. Warm things got left in the big house when the family left. Dry goods, too. The rest I been gittin' from the woods. They's a freshwater spring. Still have some chickens, even got an ole cow out back that still gives." pg. 13)
• Realistic illustrations that do not sugarcoat the truth: wounded soldiers, blood, anguished facial expressions, etc.
• Powerful expression using hands and gestures: the black and white clasped hands that are being torn apart at the book's conclusion is especially powerful and moving.
• Opening pages that offer full-spreads depicting the departure of each boy from his family. These images certainly raise questions given the disparities between the families.

Weaknesses:
Pink and Say demonstrates weaknesses in the following areas:

• Clearly Defined Target Audience (I'm still wondering exactly which ages would resonate with this piece. The ending pages that talk about the brutal fates of the two men would certainly sit uneasy with certain parents and educators.)
• Controversies surrounding the "truth" of the tale. A simple Google search reveals that much of the story is inaccurate, especially the park about Say being illiterate. This is problematic, since Polacco tells her reads "I know this story to be true" on page 46.
• Complicated themes (or perhaps just too many themes in one book) for the intended audience: This book attempts to look at slavery, the Civil War, race relations, vigilantes, bravery vs. cowardice, and the power of literacy. This seems like a lot to tackle in a picturebook for small children. 
• Abrupt transitions between events. One minute they are on a battlefield. The next page they are in Moe Moe Bay's home.

Programming Connections:
There does not seem to be many books available for teaching about the Civil War in this format, so this book certainly serves a need in those regards. With the right group of children, I could see this title working well with a study on the Civil War, soldier life, and race relations, which resonates with current events in the lives of children today.

Read-alikes:
The following titles are similar to Pink and Say:

• Chicken Sunday and January's Sparrow (also by Polacco)
• Henry's Freedom Box (Levine)
• Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt (Hopkinson)

Awards:
This picturebook won the 1997 West Virginia Children's Book Award and the 1998 Mid-South Independent Booksellers for Children Humpty Dumpty Award

Overall Rating:
On the whole, I would give this book a 2.5 out of 5 stars. While I was moved by the boys' friendship and the final scene where they are taken away from each other, I was left with more questions and a feeling of incompleteness. I am just not sure with whom I would read this tale.

I chose this title because I saw it on several lists when researching for our historical fiction genre clinic. Since it appeared on several reading lists, I thought it would be worth spending time on for the blog.