Words By Heart [Paperback]

Ouida Sebestyen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997

Lena can recite the Scriptures by heart. Hoping to make her adored Papa proud of her and to make her white classmates notice her "Magic Mind," not her black skin, Lena vows to win the Bible-quoting contest. But winning does not bring Lena what she expected. Instead of honor, violence and death erupt and strike the one she loves most dearly. Lena, who has believed in vengeance, must now learn how to forgive.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Lena can recite the Scriptures by heart. Hoping to make her adored Papa proud of her and to make her white classmates notice her "Magic Mind," not her black skin, Lena vows to win the Bible-quoting contest. But winning does not bring Lena what she expected. Instead of honor, violence and death erupt and strike the one she loves most dearly. Lena, who has believed in vengeance, must now learn how to forgive.

From the Inside Flap

Lena can recite the Scriptures by heart. Hoping to make her adored Papa proud of her and to make her white classmates notice her "Magic Mind," not her black skin, Lena vows to win the Bible-quoting contest. But winning does not bring Lena what she expected. Instead of honor, violence and death erupt and strike the one she loves most dearly. Lena, who has believed in vengeance, must now learn how to forgive.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044041346X
• ISBN-13: 978-0440413462
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #483,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good book, May 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Words By Heart (Mass Market Paperback)

This year, my eighth grade English class read To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee. While we read this book, we were assigned to read another book about black struggle as well. I read the novel, Words by Heart, by Ouida Sebestyen. It was a compelling, well-written book about a young, black girl who discovers her place in a white neighborhood in a time of racism. Ouida Sebestyen is a black author whose past was very much like the life of the character of the little black girl. The author of To Kill a Mockingbird on the other hand, is a white woman whose past relates very closely to the character of little white girl. In Words by Heart, the white people were mostly undeveloped and without much character. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the blacks are the undeveloped characters. Both of these books contain very similar ideas about life as a child when racism was very strong. These two books both have similar plots but are seen from two opposite different points of view. When I read Words by Heart, I realized how difficult it would be to go through such a hard time in life without knowing why things were the way they were or what was happening in the world. I was moved by the challenging events the black family had to go through, because I know that racism is one of the hardest things to face in life. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about black struggle in the history of America.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read !!, July 29, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Words By Heart (Paperback)

Words by Heart is a sad but good story. Lena went to a scripture contest. After the contest, she comes home and finds something disturbing. Lena thinks that this is a warning since her family is the only black family in the neighborhood. Competition and anxiety keep you at the edge of your seat. Nonetheless, tragedy and sadness come to her family.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Realistic Portrayal, June 17, 2004

By 

Michael Shane Womack (Moultrie, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Words By Heart (Paperback)

I read this book as part of an Education Class requirment this semester. I started reading this book reluctantly and was going to skim through it to get only the information that I needed for the exam. I found myself engulfed, reading everysingle word and not stopping until I had finished the book. It is a very good portrayal of a young sheltered child that learned a terrible reality about prejudice and racism. In the end, this child showed courage and loyalty far behond her age. Her head held high, she did not deviate from her convictions or responsibility.