I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery

Newcomer Gradys compact poems about the lives of slaves cover an emotional range from gossamer (Like the wrens/ song, she hits the grace note just so) to leaden (drag my heart clean/ out of my chest). Quilting runs through the poems as a theme (Before I know, Im rocking with the rhythm of the stitching), and Wood (I See the Rhythm of Gospel) paints the slaves and their surroundings against backgrounds of quilt patterns and African textiles. Swirls of checks and triangles unfurl along with the movement of the stylized figures, softening the nightmare quality of scenes like one in which an overseer carries a girl away from her mother This morn he come for my baby girl she/ done reach her breeding age. Fetch a good price. The poems appear above detailed notes, opposite Woods paintings at right. The notes anticipate classroom use, where discussion will arise from the varied aspects of slavery companionship between the masters children and slave children, early horse racings domination by slave labor, and more that Grady covers in this well-researched collection. Ages 10 up. Illustrators agent: Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Jan.) Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Gr 4-8--Grady combines the tradition of American folk-art quilting with a series of original poems written in unrhymed verse that depict the hardships of American slaves. On each spread, a full-page illustration on the right depicts a scene from a slave's life, while a corresponding poem appears on the top left-hand page, with corroborating historical facts listed below. Fourteen traditional quilt patterns are used, and the name of the particular pattern appears above each poem. Some selections are more powerful than others. In particular, the last poem, "Basket," poignantly describes the feelings of tiredness and oppression as well as the solace and hope that embody the slave's harsh existence, "I lay my stitches down and troubles fall away...I'm breathing with the rhythm of my quilting...the threads that weave the fabric of my life." The author notes that she has included a biblical, spiritual, and musical reference in each poem to reflect the three layers of a quilt and used 10 lines of 10 syllables to mimic the square shape of the quilt block. Using acrylics on canvas, Wood has created striking illustrations that add a masterful visual component to the volume. She successfully draws readers in and brings the characters and their stories to life. She presents the strength and determination of people who have endured unspeakable injustice and hardship with a grace born out of spirituality. This ambitious work offers a bit of poetry, history, folk art, quilting, religion and more. It will definitely fill a niche in libraries.--Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Booklist"
"Each of [Grady's] free-verse poems about the African slave experience consists of 10 lines of 10 syllables that, as laid out on the page, mimic the square shape of a quilt block. They also include three references to spirituality, music, and fabric arts that reflect the three layers of a quilt. . . . Wood's intricate illustrations reflect folk art motifs and vibrantly express the rich culture of African American slaves."
"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)
"A powerful grouping of thought-provoking poems and brilliantly designed paintings."
"School Library Journal" (starred review)
"This ambitious work offers a bit of poetry, history, folk art, quilting, religion and more. It will definitely fill a niche in libraries."
"The Horn Book"
"A stunning achievement for both author and artist."
"Publishers Weekly"
"Newcomer Grady's compact poems about the lives of slaves cover an emotional range from gossamer ("Like the wren's/ song, she hits the grace note just so") to leaden ("drag my heart clean/ out of my chest"). . . . The notes anticipate classroom use, where discussion will arise from the varied aspects of slavery companionship between the master's children and slave children, early horse racing's domination by slave labor, and more that Grady covers in this well-researched collection."
"Christian Library Journal"
"Grady does an excellent job of sensitively portraying the harsh realities of slave life through the heartbreaking beauty of poetry that is simple on the surface but complex and purposeful in structure, content, and theme. . . . This compilation of poetry is moving and rich in substance.""