Heart And Soul

Heart and Soul

Written and Illustrated by: Kadir Nelson

Published by: Balzer and Bray, 2013

Pages: 112

Culture: African American

 

The story carries us through the lives of the African Americans who spent hours and hours in the fields waiting for the day their lives would be different. It is a story about the discrimination of people and the determination to change their fate. It follows these dedicated people through their battle to freedom, and later, to equal rights. Without these stories, America would not be the same. It is a story that shows the true heart and soul of this great nation. It is a story filled with honor and power. It’s sure to leave you feeling proud of what this nation has become since the times of slavery and inequality.

 

The illustrations in this story are done with oil paints. The colors are very sharp and bold. The images are almost realistic. The faces show all the emotion the story tells. The pictures capture everything from the hard field work, to the victorious moments for African Americans.

 

I would use this book, or pieces of this book, while learning about pre-Civil War era. The book is educational and informative, but it is easy for children to understand. It is often hard to explain to young children the harshness of slavery, but this story does it in a way that makes the story rewarding because these people were so strong and courageous. I would also use this book to motivate students to push forward with their goals and dreams, because with determination anything could happen. This is an amazing story to share with the students to motivate them to never give up, because who know where it could lead 100 years down the road. I would use this book as a writing activity. I would ask my student to write about the main idea of the story. What was the author trying to teach us or show us in this book?

 

AWARDS:  2012 Coretta Scott King Author Award