Module 6: Pink and Say, by Patricia Polacco

Summary:  Pink and Say are union soldiers, one black, one white and gravely injured. Pink rescues Say, risking his life to transport Say to the home of his mother, Moe Moe Bay, where Say can be fed and nursed until he is well. Moe Moe Bay's home is warm and safe, but the boys know it's a matter of time before their presence draws danger to Pink's childhood home, and they begin to think about rejoining the fray. Just as they're about to head out, the war finds them again.

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

Impression:  This book, written by the descendant of Say himself, presents the cruelties of slavery and war in a way that is appropriate for young children. I appreciated that it didn't gloss over the issue of slavery or the fates of Pink and his mother, which are tragic, and brought me to tears. It's difficult to know how to talk to kids honestly about slavery and racism. I think this story would be a good introduction. What makes this book even more unique is that, while it's written for young children, the intensity of the story and Polacco's lovely illustrations, can be appreciated by all ages. After all, the two main characters are boys of sixteen.

Review: This book, the story of Polacco's great-great-grandfather, has been passed down from generation to generation in the author-artist's family. Fifteen-year-old soldier Sheldon Russell Curtis - Say to his family - has been left for dead on a Civil War battlefield somewhere in Georgia. A fellow Union soldier, Pinkus Aylee, who is African American - "I had never seen a man like him so close before. His skin was the color of polished mahogany" - discovers him and, with much effort, drags the feverish Say home, where his mother, a slave named Moe Moe Bay, nurses Say back to health. As the boys regain their strength, they become as close as real family and discuss things close to their hearts. Pink shares his special talent: Master Aylee, his owner, had taught him how to read. "'To be born a slave is a heap o' trouble, Say. But after Aylee taught me to read, even though he owned my person, I knew that nobody, ever, could really own me.'" Say receives special comfort from Moe Moe when he admits that he deserted his troop and is afraid to return to the war. On the morning the two boys plan to leave and search for their respective troops, marauding Confederate soldiers arrive and kill Moe Moe. Pink and Say are later captured and become prisoners of the Confederate Army, in Andersonville. Although Say lived to tell this story of friendship and brotherhood, Pink was hanged within hours of arriving at the dreaded prison. Told in Say's colorful, country-fresh voice, the text incorporates authentic-sounding dialect and expressions - such as darky - that would have been used at the time. Polacco's characteristic acrylic, ink, and pencil illustrations are suitably dramatic and focus on the intense physical and emotional joy and pain of the story's three main characters. The remarkable story, made even more extraordinary in its basis in actual events, raises questions about courage, war, family, and slavery. A not-to-be-missed tour de force.

Fader, E., & Silvey, A. (1994). Pink and Say. Horn Book Magazine, 70(6), 724-725.

Suggested Use: I think this book would make for another worthy collaboration between classroom teacher and librarian. When kids are learning about the civil war, they could read Pink and Say as a class, and discuss the effects of the civil war, and of slavery, on the men who fought, and on their families. I think this powerful story speaks for itself, so a simple read aloud could provoke a meaningful, important discussion. This book could honestly be used in discussions for kids from six to sixteen.