Time Pieces: The Book of TimesFrom attending the circus with her family to surviving the death of her beloved collie, the daily life of Valena is drawn here with warmth and quiet humor. Hamilton has deftly woven together moments in time -- the present, the past, and hopes for the future -- in this gathering of time pieces that move backward and forward. Artfully quilted together, these pieces create a picture of family, schoolteachers, neighbors (good and bad), and a history of escaped slavery, as well as the strands of racism that seemingly permeate everything -- both directly and indirectly. "Time Pieces: The Book of Times" reflects the power of Virginia Hamilton's accumulated years as a writer and a socially aware individual. With descriptions of Mary Cloud, Hamilton's Native-American great grandmother who escaped from slavery in Virginia with Hamilton's grandfather, Levi Perry, this work incorporates numerous autobiographical moments that will be familiar to Hamilton fans and will fascinate readers of all ages. Here is a memorable contribution to literature about contemporary African-American children, which will speak to today's readers -- of every background. This final draft of "Time Pieces: The Book of Times" was finished shortly before Ms. Hamilton died of breast cancer in February. |
Contents
My Dad Says to Me | 1 |
The Day of the Bored Alice | 6 |
Mrs Tate | 20 |
The Greatest | 30 |
The Womens Volunteer and Reckon Society | 44 |
Dim Tunny | 55 |
GA Peavy Tells a Tell | 69 |
Why Valenas Uncle Rafe Went Down to Ripley | 83 |
Time to Hold Tight | 111 |
Things Change | 134 |
The End Is the Beginning | 149 |
Maud Free | 159 |
A Maze | 172 |
A NOTE ABOUT THIS BOOK | 189 |
PARTIAL HARPERMCGILL FAMILY TREE | 193 |
ALSO BY VIRGINIA HAMILTON | 195 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adam arms Aunt Demmie bike Blue Sky Press/Scholastic Bobby Twosons Bored Alice breath cage called close clothes clouds cousin Cynthia dad's dark door eyes folks GA Peavy Gargantua girl gone Graw Luke Greenwillow grinned hand Harper Harriet head hear heard hurt inside laughed Laura Ingalls Wilder leaped living room looked Mama Mary Maud Free Maybrey McGill mom's moving must've never night Nightly once Peavy Peavy's Planterland porch Proud Mary quiet ride road scared side Simony smiled sound Spindly stared stayed stood stopped talk Tate tell thing took tottie trees Tunnee Maud Uncle Dell Uncle Rafe Underground Railroad Valena and Melinda Valena asked Valena cried Valena felt Valena knew Valena sat Valena thought Valena told Valena's dad Valena's mom Virginia Hamilton W. E. B. Du Bois waited what's whispered woman yard York