Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "It's been three days since we've seen the sun..." (more)
Key Phrases: Master Butler, Miss Sarah, Miss Frances (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6-9–This powerful and engaging historical novel is told in dialogue and through monologues. It also moves around in time, from the period when the story takes place to "interludes," in which the various characters look back on these events years later. It begins with a factual event–the largest slave auction in United States history that took place in 1859 on Pierce Butler's plantation in Georgia. The book introduces Butler, his abolitionist ex-wife Fanny Kemble, their two daughters, the auctioneer, and a number of slaves sold to pay off Butler's gambling debts. Emma, a fictional house slave, is the centerpiece of the novel. She cares for the master's daughters and has been promised that she will never be sold. On the last day of the auction, Butler impulsively sells her to a woman from Kentucky. There she marries, runs away, and eventually gains her freedom in Canada. Lester has done an admirable job of portraying the simmering anger and aching sadness that the slaves must have felt. Each character is well drawn and believable. Both blacks and whites liberally use the word "nigger," which will be jarring to modern-day students. The text itself is easy to read and flows nicely. Different typefaces distinguish the characters' monologues, their dialogues with one another, and their memories. Still, middle school readers may have some difficulty following the plot until they get used to the unusual format. Altogether this novel does a superb job of showing the inhumanity of slavery. It begs to be read aloud, and it could be used in sections to produce some stunning reader's theatre.–Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 6-9. From his first book, To Be a Slave (1968), Lester has told the history of slavery through personal accounts that relay the dehumanizing message of the perpetrators. Here he draws on historical sources to fictionalize a real event: the biggest slave auction in American history, which took place in Savannah, Georgia, in 1859. He imagines the individual voices of many who were there, adults and kids, including several slaves up for sale, the auctioneer, and the white masters and their families buying and selling the valuable merchandise. The huge cast speaks in the present tense and sometimes from the future looking back. A note fills in the facts. The horror of the auction and its aftermath is unforgettable; individuals whom the reader has come to know are handled like animals, wrenched from family, friends, and love. Then there's a sales list with names, ages, and the amount taken in for each person. Brave runaways speak; so does an abolitionist who helps them. Those who are not heroic are here, too, and the racism is virulent (there's widespread use of the n-word). The personal voices make this a stirring text for group discussion. Older readers may want to go on from here to the nonfiction narratives in Growing Up in Slavery (see adjacent review). Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 92 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (April 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786804904
• ISBN-13: 978-0786804900
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #516,125 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars *The Biggest Slave Auction Ever - A gripping story*, June 15, 2005

By	mcHaiku "nmi" (Brown County INDIANA) - See all my reviews

Julian Lester's book about the "Day of Tears" should result in his being awarded another Newbery prize. One lesson we learn is that people can turn their backs on misery & injustice just as easily today as in the early 1860s. (consider the example of the Sudan).

Julian Lester has been a teacher. He knows how to draw students toward the discovery of Truths. "Day of Tears" gives many opportunities for acting out the painful emotions of slavery. If Lester's writings are used this way in classrooms, there is the chance for growth, for eyes to be opened, for questioning.

Emma is a fictional character but becomes so very real through her musings, misery and the anger that darkens her skin & makes her clench her teeth. Oh, the rankling of always being treated as an object without feelings! Through decades anger was hidden by the practiced arrangement of facial muscles, the subservient tone of voice.

The book's format is unusual, dramatic - - provocative & effective. The story begins with a true event: Plantation owner Pierce Butler (near Savannah, Georgia), divorced from the well-known British actress/author Fanny Kemble, is driven by his weakness for gambling to sell most of his (approx.430) slaves in what would be known as the largest slave-auction in history. The two-day sale netted $303,850. Stark notes about many slaves are given in Lester's text, including the price paid for each. The Author's Note & excellent references (mainly online) give even more information.

The publisher's 'blurb' describes Pierce Butler as a slave owner who cashes in his "assets" - thereby losing his humanity. This truth is symbolized by the weeping skies. Soon after the last slave was sold on March 3rd of 1859, the rain stopped.

If you are a parent and/or teacher you have a God-given opportunity & responsibility to share this book with young readers. Challenge them and be challenged yourself by their reactions and questions. mcHaiku suggests you also read Julian Lester's "On Writing for Children and Other People" (#0803728670).

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History Comes Alive, August 25, 2005

By	The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

Throughout his writing career, Julius Lester has made numerous contributions to African American Children's Literature. His latest book, DAY OF TEARS is no exception. The book, presented in dialogue, is a fictional account of a real historical event, the largest slave auction in American history. The auction took place after Pierce Butler, a wealthy plantation owner with a gambling problem, was forced to sell off over 400 slaves in order to pay his debts. The auction took place on March 2nd and 3rd, 1859 in Georgia.

The principal characters in the novel include slaves from the Butler plantation, as well as from one of the plantations some of the slaves were sold to, members of the Butler family, the auctioneer, and other businessmen. As the story unfolds, the consequences of slavery, not only for the slaves, but also for their owners, become apparent.

DAY OF TEARS looks at the history of slavery in the United States in a way that depicts the human casualties of the institution. Whether it was the broken families and friendships that were destroyed when slaves were callously sold away like material possessions or the moral and spiritual consequences of being responsible for such sales, Lester captures it all. He highlights the mentality of the slave-owner and vividly depicts the reasoning used to justify their acts and assuage their guilt. He also shows the mindset of some of those who were enslaved and presents slaves who were seemingly satisfied in their position, as well as those who aspired for freedom. Finally, through his characters he reminds readers that not all whites supported slavery and that some even helped facilitate their escape to freedom.

The dialogue format of this book made the story come alive. I would love to see this novel acted out in schools and youth groups as a teaching tool. The book is sure to garner in-depth discussion about the history of slavery in this country. DAY OF TEARS is a poignant tale that is full of emotion and a satisfying work of historical fiction that should be required reading.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let it rain, January 20, 2006

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I have a big ole head. A big, swelled, I-know-more-children's-books-than-Leonard-S-Marcus type head. I think I'm pretty hot stuff when it comes to kiddie lit and I defy anyone to tell me different. Problem is, I'm not that hot. More lukewarm really. And I remember this fact when I read books like "Day of Tears". For all my boasts and brags, I had never read a Julius Lester novel until now. Oh I'd read plenty of his picture books and his folktales as well. And he's certainly written enough novellas in his time. There was "When Dad Killed Mom" and "To Be a Slave" and something called "The Autobiography of God". After hearing a variety of different people squawking over the brilliance of his "Day of Tears", however, I finally got around to reading him. With the same clear concise voice used to such advantage in tales like "The Old African", Lester turns his sights on a little remarked historical moment in time and the repercussions that have reverberated ever since.

Says the Author's Note of this story, "On March 2 and 3, 1859, the largest auction of slaves in American history took place in Savannah, Georgia". This is their story. The owner of these slaves, one Pierce Butler, has been brought low by his own addiction to gambling. He and his wife divorced many years ago (a rarity but based on the truth) and he has the custody of both of his daughters. Amongst his slaves he counts the family of Will, Mattie, and their daughter Emma. Emma is only twelve but she's always been beloved of Mr. Butler's girls and they look upon her as a kind of replacement guardian. On the first day of the auction families are broken up, lives destroyed, and the rain falls in torrents. "This ain't rain", says Mattie. "This is God's tears". On the second day, Mr. Butler succumbs to his own greed and sells off Emma without allowing her parents even the chance to say a final farewell. The book follows her journey from slave to escapee, and finally as a free citizen of Canada. We meet the slave auctioneer, a member of the Underground Railroad, various slaveholders, and everyone in this book has a chance to spout his or her opinions. The slave narrative has been personal before, but rarely has it ever cut this close to the bone.

What Lester excels at is the feeling of righteousness everyone carries to some degree. No matter what the horrific thing one person is perpetuating on another is, everyone feels that their actions are so very very right. Their justifications are beautifully portrayed here and will obviously confuse those child readers that expect their books to contain two-dimensional villains and perfectly upright heroes. Everyone has their own way of thinking. When Emma escapes from a woman widely regarded as a "good" master, the woman retaliates by selling off all her slaves to a man noted far and wide for his cruelty. She then views this "inevitable" step as Emma's fault. There's also a fair share of Uncle Toms and broken marriages in the book. Lester takes all of this and makes it child friendly, but never dilutes the horror so much that it feels fake or flimsy. Honesty is the name of the game here.

When I saw that the book was written in the form of (as the cover calls it) "a novel in dialogue", I was instantly reminded of another Civil War era title, "Bull Run" by Paul Fleischman. The two books complement one another nicely. "Day of Tears" is the precursor, showing the horrors that necessitated the Civil War and "Bull Run" shows the consequences of that action. Both are written in the first person and would do well as staged productions by children or teens. Even without such fancy theatrics though "Day of Tears" is worthy reading in and of itself. If you've a child who has to read a piece of historical fiction, this would be an ideal choice. It may look like 176 pages but the dialogue format renders it a relatively quick and undoubtedly interesting read. A worthy addition to any library.