Cynthia Grady est une autrice dont les œuvres explorent en profondeur les thèmes de l'identité et de l'histoire à travers un langage puissant et évocateur. Ancienne enseignante et bibliothécaire pour enfants, elle apporte une perspective unique à son écriture, examinant souvent les voix et les expériences de ceux qui ont été historiquement marginalisés. Sa prose se caractérise par une attention méticuleuse aux détails et une capacité à faire revivre les événements passés, offrant aux lecteurs de profondes réflexions sur la résilience et la mémoire humaines.
The Art of the American Slave Song
The book explores the profound emotional depth of slave songs, which reflect the pain of bondage while also serving as a source of spiritual resilience. Through vibrant illustrations by Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist Michele Wood, the rich symbolism and historical significance of these songs are vividly conveyed, highlighting their dual role as expressions of sorrow and calls to strength.
A moving, memorable poetry collection shaped around the stories of enslaved people in America. This rich and intricate collection of poems chronicles the various experiences of enslaved people in the United States. Named for traditional quilt block patterns like Log Cabin, Cotton Boll, and Schoolhouse, each poem—ten lines of ten syllables each—mimics the square shape of a quilt block. Readers experience slavery in America through fourteen different perspectives, including a woman humming “Gilead” as she quilts, a mother losing her daughter to the auction, a child discovering the freedom of learning, and a young man fleeing on the Underground Railroad.Brought to life by vivid, expressive artwork from Michele Wood, this stirring and eloquent book offers a timeless witness to the hardship endured by enslaved men, women, and children. Each poem is supplemented by historical information and notes on quilting, musical, and spiritual references in the text.