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I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery
An eloquently written and illustrated volume features poems crafted out of the tradition of quilting and the tragedy of slavery. Each poem, named for a quilt block, is comprised of ten lines of ten syllables each to mimic a (quilt)block-like structure. Poet Cynthia Grady incorporated a biblical/spiritual reference, a musical reference, and a sewing/fiber arts reference into each poem, to reflect the three layers of a quilt. Her words and imagery seam the poems with threads of pain and hope. Michele Woods’ stunning illustrations incorporate the specific quilt block motif of each poem while giving beautiful face and form to its subject. Each page-spread features the poem and a brief paragraph of information about its content on one side, and a stirring, full-page painting on the other. An informative introduction, as well as a rich author’s note and illustrator’s note are included, along with references. ©2012 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Michele Wood
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 9 and older
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Poetry
Subjects:
African Americans
Art and Artists
Faith, Spirituality and Religion
Music and Musicians
Sewing and Quilting
Slavery
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Eerdmans
Publish Year: 2012
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780802853868
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 811 Grady