Hill, Laban Carrick. Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Co., 2010. Ages 5 and up.

In this lyrical picture book biography, Hill tells the story of a real slave who created pots in South Carolina in the 1800's. The text is a poem, narrating the creation of one of Dave's pots and the artistry and skill he brought to his craft. Collier's sumptuous watercolor and collage illustrations capture the richness of the clay as it is transformed under Dave's hands.

An appendix includes photographs of Dave's work and examples of the simple messages he left carved into his glazes, messages that have allowed historians to trace his work and construct some semblance of a biography. Few records were kept of slave lives, and they rarely received any credit for their work, so Dave's story offers a unique glimpse into the beautiful creations of slave artists. This is a wonderful picture book to share with a wide age range, and an excellent resource to kick off a study of slavery in the United States or American folk art.

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