Pink and Say

by Patricia Polacco

Book Overview

When Sheldon Russell Curtis told this story to his daughter, Rosa, she kept every word in her heart and was to retell it many times. I will tell it in Sheldon's own words as nearly as I can. He was wounded in a fierce battle and left for dead in a pasture somewhere in Georgia when Pinkus found him. Pinkus' skin was the color of polished mahogany, and he was flying Union colors like the wounded boy, and he picked him up out of the field and brought...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399226710
• ISBN13: 9780399226717
• Release Date: September 1994
• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.9" x 11.4"
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Great Book!

This book made me cry and my 7 yr old loves it and wants to read it all the time.

Spanish

The details say that this book is in English but when it arrived, it is in Spanish.

What an emotional story!

I'm a new elementary librarian and have only just learned about "Pink and Say" while teaching students about Historical Fiction. I read this story to a group of 5th graders and completly broke down crying while reading it. It is touching on so many levels - the relationship between Pink and Say, between Say and Moe Moe Bay, and between Pink and Moe Moe Bay. We also have a realistic glimpse of what it was like during that time - about it being illegal to teach slaves to read, about how the smells are the same in each house and about how humans require love and affection. I'm sure that my 5th graders felt this book on a deeper level since I was crying while reading it. I think they understood the horror of the time and not one child trivilized the story (which is easy to do if you are in 5th grade!). I loved the story and hope that I don't break down again with the other 5th graders I have to read it to!

Pinkus Aylee, I've said his name and will always remember

This is the first Polacco book that I ever read; I was instantly mesmerized. PINK and SAY is one of the six Patricia Polacco books I gave to my daughter for her birthday. She is a new second grade teacher and I wanted her to have books that have worked for me, a seasoned educator. This is another touching story written in memory of Pinkus Aylee, a former slave. During the Civil War, this young boy saved the life of Sheldon Russell Curtis (Say) who was Polacco's great, great grandfather. Although this book had a tragic ending, the story is a poignant tribute to an interracial friendship that has been kept alive through the generations of Polacco's family. I have used this book as a great multi-cultural lesson.Polacco's family pays tribute to Pinkus Aylee by repeating his name. Through this lovely book, generations will now be able to hold his memory in their hearts.

Wonderful Literature for ALL Readers!

Pink and Say is appropriate for all readers, children and adults. I read it to my third graders and cry every time. It is a true story of a beautiful interracial friendship which is considered to be too complex and harshly realistic for young readers by some people. However, it is much more appropriate than what many children view on television and, in this day and age, I feel the emotions it evokes are extremely valuable as is the civil war/slavery history lesson it contains. Congratulations to Patricia Polacco for telling the story like it is. It's a shameful history but it happened and kids of all ages need to understand just how aweful it was. I say it's about time we stop sweeping these shameful parts of our history events under the rug. Thank you Ms. Polacco for giving it to us honestly. Every teacher should have this book on his/her shelf.

Best Children's Book of the Year

This is a beautiful story of two boys during the American Civil War, one white and one black. This book brings me to tears every time I read it. In my opinion, it should have received the Newbery Medal the year it was published. Patricia Polacco's best book ever

A wonderfully written book of the lives of Pink and Say.

I am a student at a university in Michigan, this book was one of many that our teacher had told us we must have in our classrooms. Needless to say by the end of the book all the girls were crying and all the boys were in disbelief, of the incredible recount of a true story passed on from generation to generation. This book is to say the very least the best book I have ever come across, that described some of the lives, effected by the civil war. Patrica Polacco is a wonderfully gifted author, who has written and illustrated a wonderful book.