Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave

Goodreads Review:
To us
it is just dirt,
the ground we walk on. . . .
But to Dave
it was clay,
the plain and basic stuff
upon which he formed a life
as a slave nearly 200 years ago.

Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter who lived in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award Finalist Laban Carrick Hill and award-winning artist Bryan Collier tell Dave's remarkable story, one rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.

This book is perfect. Perfect even in its details. I believe the author must have tried his hand at making pottery because the descriptions of how a potter's hands feel is spot on and brought sensations from my pottery days forty years ago vividly back to memory. If this was done in the spirit of research for the book, wow. More authors should be so thorough. The illustrations are also perfect for the book. At the end of the book, there is more about Dave's life and art, his poetry carved on many of his pots, and how the book came to be written.

This is a thoughtful book that has a sense of peace in it. Charming. This story of a slave potter from South Carolina will inspire wonder and connection.

A poetic picture-book examination of the life and work of Dave, a potter, poet and slave in nineteenth-century South Carolina, Dave the Potter follows the story of the clay itself, from clouds of dust on the ground (?), through Dave's skilled hands, to its final form as a pot. A strong man who could throw sixty-pound pots, Dave was an artist and a writer, occasionally inscribing short poems - "I wonder where is all my relation / friendship to all - and, every nation" - on his creations, before they hardened.

Chosen as a Caldecott Honor Book this year, and given the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrators as well, this visually intense picture-book brings to light a little-known but fascinating artist, and for that I am glad. That said, show more I think I agree with the reviewer who stated that the afterword, in which more information about Dave and his life is given, was my favorite part of the book. I wanted to know more, and while I understand that there is limited information available about Dave, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the way the narrative focused on his process, rather than on him, leaving out even those few details that are known. I enjoyed Bryan Collier's earth-toned illustrations, and can definitely see why they were honored with so many awards, but I also would have liked to see more photographs, in the rear, of Dave's actual work.

Still, despite these quibbles, Dave the Potter is a book I would recommend, to young readers interesting in pottery and poetry, or in the institution of slavery in American history. show less

I really enjoyed reading this biography. The main message of this story is to retell the life of the important American artist named Dave. I enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, I thought the illustrations were outstanding. The pictures took up the entire page which allowed the reader to see details such as the steps Dave took to pinch and mold the clay. I also loved how the writer chose to write the story. I had no idea it was a biography until the very end. Some biography's go date by date and can be a tad boring. This book was more of a narrative and very enjoyable. Lastly, I enjoyed the poems provided in the back of the book. The author included poems written by Dave himself over the years. I thought this was a great way to show more get to know the artist even more. show less

I love that, even though this is an informational book, it is written in beautiful poetry. The story shows how Dave creates his clay masterpieces and, along the way, gives tidbits of information about Dave's life. The book has gorgeous illustrations that work well with the poetic text.

INFORMATIONAL: The purpose of this book is to show the reader how Dave creates his pottery and give the reader a small picture of who Dave is. All of the information is true and well-researched, making this a good informational book.
USE: This would be a fantastic book to incorporate alongside an art lesson in pottery. This book could also be used to talk about slavery, since Dave was a slave. The book could be used to discuss how Dave's life was similar show more or different to that of other slave workers.
MEDIA: Watercolor and collage show less

To us it is just dirt, the ground we walk on... But to Dave it was clay, the plain and basic stuff upon which he formed a life as a slave nearly 200 years ago.

Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter living in South Carolina in the 1800s. He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave. In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book Award nominee Laban Carrick Hill's elegantly simple text and award-winning artist Bryan Collier's resplendent, earth-toned illustrations tell Dave's story, a story rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.