61. Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, By Laban Carrick Hill

 

61.  Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, By Laban Carrick Hill


Hill, L.C. (2010). Dave the potter: artist, poet, slave. NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

This picture book tells the story of Dave, who was an enslaved potter in South Carolina in the 1800s.  His story begins with the dirt and how he sees what it will become.  He would begin with clumps of clay that were mixed with water until it was wet, stiff, and heavy.  He kicked his potters’ wheel until it spun. His hands would work the clay until the shape of a jar would begin.  When finished, the clay pot would dry, and Dave made a brown glaze out of wood ash and sand to apply to the jar. Before the jar completely hardened Dave wrote bits of poetry, sometimes the date, sometimes his name.

The book is written in simple free verse poetry.  I found an educator’s guide that focuses on several aspects of the book.   It talks about teaching young students about slavey and how they thought a day in the live of a slave might go.  The poetry Dave wrote on his jars is called couplets.  The guide also has students compare Dave’s poetry to something similar like Japanese Haiku.  The guide also discusses teaching about the art form of pottery.

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/EG_9780316107310.pdf

 

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