a novel in dialogue
Julius Lester
My rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Historical Fiction/Coretta Scott King Award
Julius Lester's, Day of Tears, is a heart-wrenching piece of historical fiction which tells the story of Emma, a slave of Pierce Butler and caretaker of his two children. Pierce Butler is a poor gambler and manages to mount a sizable debt and decides the only way to pay off what he owes is to auction his slaves, thus hosting the largest slave auction in American history. Lester used the Library of Congress to research this actual event, a creates fictional characters to give the historical event a life of its own. The readers will embark on an emotional journey as families are torn apart, lives are lost, and the complexities of slavery and freedom are explored.
While the format of this book made it confusing to read at first, it ultimately added to the reality of the event. By addressing the viewpoint of all parties, Lester was able to do what textbooks are unable to do - humanize slavery. I would strongly recommend this book as a supplement to any history unit on slavery in grades sixth through eighth. Although Lester did not intend for the novel to be made into a play, it can easily be adapted into a play for classroom use. There are several important themes that Lester addresses: greed vs. human dignity, taking a stand for freedom, and inspiration for the future. It is an approachable text that will give students the opportunity to step into the shoes of those whose lives were torn apart by slavery.
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