Day of Tears was an interesting read. It was compelling, moving, and downright sad at some points. Emma's strength, however, gave the book a mood of constant hope. Julius Lester's writing style is amazing, and the format of the book was interesting as well. Perspectives shift frequently throughout the book as different characters take on narrating through dialogue. This was my first Julius Lester book, however as other historical books around that time period go, this book was unique. It won the Corretta Scott King Award recently, as well. I'd never read a book that was so raw and still aimed at children. It had a few disturbing scenes, and didn't gloss over the horror of slavery, but I would still recommend it for students who are ready for the content and reading difficulty.
I learned alot form this book. The content was real, made an impact, and the writing style was just what children need to read as they become familiar with the structures of literature. The world of children's literature is lucky to have authors like Julius Lester.
