Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature

by James Michael Brodie, Jerry Butler

A survey of the history of African American literature, from slave narratives to the present, told in the voice of a grandfather speaking to his granddaughter.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1996

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. Curry walks us through the history of African American writers, from Phyllis Wheatley to Toni Morrison. Her narrative is folksy and very appropriate for children, including middle school students. I am always kind of skeptical of books that teach children about authors they can't really read yet -- Why does a 4th grader need to learn about Ralph Ellison, really? But in this case, I think it really works. This would be a lovely complement to elementary school history classes. I would use this in the same way that I would use Kadir Nelson's Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. Pick it up a few times through a semester or year to add a rich story to classroom instruction.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet Words So Brave: The Story of African American Literature
Brodie, James Michael
"on a list of books recommended for teaching books to students on themes and ideas: follows the struggle of the African slaves and African American history that follows mostly based on words and books that are written and described in the text about their basic struggles and triumphs, and the power of the word to change the world for good or ill.
"

[Cara Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As African American children's literature has such a vibrant presence in both fiction and nonfiction, it's interesting to find a beautifully illustrated picture book about the history of African American literature for adults. Brodie's art is reminiscent of that of Aaron Douglas, and Curry does a nice job highlighting key figures (from Phillis Wheatley to Maya Angelou) for children. This work (with its more advanced prose) is most appropriate for later elementary school children.