Never Forgotten
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/4/9/13491848/1392196.jpg?157)
By: Patricia C. McKissack
Illustrated by: Leo & Diane Dillon
Publisher: Random House Children's Books Copyright Date: 2011 ISBN: 978-0-375-84384-6
Genre: Historical Fiction Format: Picture Book
Major Awards Received:
Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2012 Honor Book Author United States
Booklist Top 10 Black History Books for Youth, 2012 ; American Library Association; United States
Notable Children's Books, 2012 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States
Summary: This is the story of Musafa and how he grew up the son of a blacksmith. His mother died while giving birth to him and because of this the elders of the village thought that he would grow up wild. Without his wife, Dinga turned to Mother Elements to help him raise Musafa. One day Dinga sent Musafa into the woods and he did not return. Calling on Mother Element to help him, Dinga sent them to find Musafa and bring him home.
Personal response: This story shows the love between Father and Son. It shows that parents will go to any lengths to protect their children. Reading the Author's note, I discovered that the Mende blacksmith were said to command the four elements. The African mothers that had to live through their children being taken away must have grieved for a long time. The illustrations in the book tell the story even without reading the words.
Classroom connections: This would be a book that I would use in a class that would be learning about the slave trade in Africa. Before reading the book, I would give a brief back ground into what the slave trade was and why they were taking innocent African people. I would read the book to the class, stopping periodically to ask questions about how it would feel to be taken from your home and forced to live the life of a slave. After reading I would have the students list the reasons that anyone would want to take innocent people away from their homes and make them slaves.
Illustrated by: Leo & Diane Dillon
Publisher: Random House Children's Books Copyright Date: 2011 ISBN: 978-0-375-84384-6
Genre: Historical Fiction Format: Picture Book
Major Awards Received:
Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2012 Honor Book Author United States
Booklist Top 10 Black History Books for Youth, 2012 ; American Library Association; United States
Notable Children's Books, 2012 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States
Summary: This is the story of Musafa and how he grew up the son of a blacksmith. His mother died while giving birth to him and because of this the elders of the village thought that he would grow up wild. Without his wife, Dinga turned to Mother Elements to help him raise Musafa. One day Dinga sent Musafa into the woods and he did not return. Calling on Mother Element to help him, Dinga sent them to find Musafa and bring him home.
Personal response: This story shows the love between Father and Son. It shows that parents will go to any lengths to protect their children. Reading the Author's note, I discovered that the Mende blacksmith were said to command the four elements. The African mothers that had to live through their children being taken away must have grieved for a long time. The illustrations in the book tell the story even without reading the words.
Classroom connections: This would be a book that I would use in a class that would be learning about the slave trade in Africa. Before reading the book, I would give a brief back ground into what the slave trade was and why they were taking innocent African people. I would read the book to the class, stopping periodically to ask questions about how it would feel to be taken from your home and forced to live the life of a slave. After reading I would have the students list the reasons that anyone would want to take innocent people away from their homes and make them slaves.