Pink and Say

Set during the Civil War, the book retells a true incident that Sheldon Russell Curtis first shared with his daughter. Wounded and left for dead in a Georgia field, Curtis is saved by Pinkus Aylee, a Black Union soldier who risks his own life to bring him to safety. Polacco vividly describes the chaos of battle and the stark racial divides of the era, while showing how a single act of kindness can bridge those differences. The story offers middle-grade readers a concise, moving snapshot of courage and compassion amid the conflict.