Pink and Say

Polacco , Patricia. Pink and Say. New York City : Philomel Books, 1994.


Pink and Say is a book set during the civil war. The main characters are Pinkus Aylee (Pink) and Sheldon Curtis (Say). They are young soldiers fighting for the union forces and meet when Pink finds Say with a bullet in his leg. Pink carries Say all the way back to his house and Say is cared for by Moe Moe Bay. The boys were putting Moe Moe Bay in great danger by being in confederate territory. Marauders get to the house before they could leave and Moe Moe Bay gets shot while the boys hide in the cellar. They leave and are captured by confederate soldiers and are sent to a confederate camp. Pink never leaves, but Say lives on to tell Pink’s story.
Patricia Polacco uses color to portray the characters and settings in Pink and Say. The pictures are detailed with the colors she chooses stand out on each page. She uses mainly reds, oranges and browns. They depict the rustic feeling of the surroundings and people. The characters faces are drawn focusing on the color and certain aspects of the face such as the mouths or hands to emphasize the text.
This book has times of violence and realistic pictures showing blood and death. At the beginning and end, the author explains more in depth about the characters and the credibility of the story. It is a great story about overcoming obstacles and deep friendship. This book would be suitable for children 4th grade and above.