Customer Reviews

Words By Heart

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Lena is a black girl living in an all-white town shortly after slavery is abolished. Her father and stepmother and younger siblings used to live in a segregated black town, but her father wanted more opportunities for his children. Here in this new town, Lena's life isn't easy. She goes to school with other kids who largely ignore her despite her intelligence.

When a contest is announced to see which student in town is able to quote the most Bible verses from memory, Lena thinks this is her chance to prove herself and gain acceptance from her classmates and to make her father proud. It is a tough competition; it seems for awhile to Lena that Winslow Starnes, the clear favorite of the town, will beat her. But Lena manages to keep her mind clear and pull up enough verses to beat him.

Far from gaining her acceptance in town, this win may actually make Lena more of an outcast. Her dog is murdered and her home threatened. Her father keeps her out of school until things cool down and sends her to work for a grumpy old lady who has wonderful books she won't let Lena borrow. Everything seems to be going wrong. Is her father's patience despite the situation really the way to act? Is it wrong for Lena to get angry about the way she is treated?

This book was a good historical view of a certain time in history through the eyes of a character who is struggling to be herself in a place where she is disliked. I liked the optimism of Lena's father, despite everything that happened to him. However, I thought at times that Lena's father should have done something more to make sure his family was safe.

My daughter enjoyed reading this book along with me. Good fiction related to black history and christianity.

Lena Sill is an eight year old, African American girl. She has a Papa named Ben and a step-mother whom she calls Claudie. Lena also has a five year old brother named Roy, a three year old sister named Armilla, and a baby brother named Brother.

Lena's family works for Mrs. Chism. Lena misses a lot of school because of her housekeeping for Mrs. Chism. However, she gets the school work beforehand so she doesn't fall behind.

This book is really good, I think, because it is a very touching story. Sebestyen was able to get excitement in the olden day book by having a contest, adventures, and fun. This book is interesting in every way.

Could you imagine, in a specific period in time certain people of a different race were not just judged by the contents of their character but by the color of their skin? Now imagine that in the year 2000, you were treated and looked at in that type of way, as just a color. Well, that was just how Lena had grown up living as a child. Lena's family had moved from different places but never actually settled anywhere. The main reason why her and her family were moving so much was the color problem. They weren't being excepted. Then finally they find a place. At first they were doing well until one family thought that Lena's family was being a threat to them. Only because Lena had did so well in the Bible-quoting contest. She had made her father very proud of her and some of the people in the town mad. Lena could recite bible scriptures by heart and is good at it. Her father and she had worked for this lady named Mrs. Chism, who was the rudest person to her family. Although Mrs. Chism had let Lena borrow her books from her book collection, she still was mean. Lena's father was a hard worker he had done everything for everyone when they told him to and still was sad inside but did not let others know. Lena and her family were threatened one night by someone who wanted them to leave. That same person ends up getting hurt and is surprised for Lena to come to his rescue. Lena is shocked when someone she loves dearly dies for saving someone that tries to kill him over jealousy. Her life begins to try to stop but because of that one person in her life, she gains strength and starts over but still has that person in her heart and will always.

"Words by Heart" is probably the best piece of young adult literature I have read. Not only is it well written with in-depth character development, but it deals with relationships and situations that all can relate to in some way. It provides insights into our (The United States) history while providing us an opportunity to contemplate biases of our day. It also gives us beautiful examples of people who are strong and yet loving and forgiving.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I was assigned to read it in an adolescent literature class in college and was very unenthused in the first few pages. By the end of the novel, however, I was absorbed in the amazingly well-crafted plot and deeply explored characters. I don't know if young adults can appreciate the complexity of the novel, but I was impressed by Ms. Sebestyen's daring insight into our own response to trial. In the face of all kinds of injustices, we can still be true to our own integrity and rise above.

This book was thoroughly captivating and well written. I finished it in two nights, and I have 3 children!! Portrays a type of character that one rarely encounters in our present society, enduring hardships not easily understood. You gotta read this book!, and then buy one for everyone you know.