Read Oct 2, 2013
Picture
Book: Plantation South slaves are delighted with Big Jabe, a tall-tale
man who does all their work for them, and might have something to do
with mysteriously spiriting them away when they're tormented by the
overseer.
Abby loves to fish, but she never thought she'd fish
a great big boy out of the river! Big Jabe grows fast - from one day
to the next he's a grown man! The pear tree he plants likewise grows
quick - before a full season is gone, it's full-grown and heavy with
fruit. He can pick the entire cotton harvest in one morning, and the
plantation itself seems blessed with enormous yields.
But woe betide them all if someone gets beaten -
tornadoes swirl down, and torrential rain falls; and afterwards,
someone's always gone missing! No scent to follow, no trace of them
anywhere, and Big Jabe's always around, working hard and helping
everyone out.
By the end, Addy herself is suspected of magic, and
both her and Big Jabe vanish like the mist - on to another place to help
out and rescue the unfortunate.
Kadir Nelson
is an amazing illustrator, and this story has all the tone and cadence
of a sermon, without the preachy parts. Nice to pair with John Henry
for another great black folk figure, or with the original story of
Moses.
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