Etched in Clay

Review
By Carousel Magazine

In the early years of the nineteenth century in South Carolina, an enslaved young man named Dave was first taught to turn a potter’s wheel. Having learnt to read and write, he began to sign his jars and to carve short poems and sayings as a silent, yet daring protest about the brutality of slavery. Dave’s remarkable story is here movingly told through a series of poems, many written from Dave’s point of view, but also incorporating the voices of people who came into contact with him including slave owners and Dave’s two wives. The poetry is honest without becoming sentimental. The author has included a number of her own woodcuts which work well alongside the poetry. This handsome volume also includes a map and additional historical and artistic information. A compelling introduction to the history of slavery for young children.