Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave

Book review by Monica Mehta, Common Sense Media
Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Amazing award-winning historical story told in free verse.

Laban Carrick Hill Picture Book 2010
Rate book

Parents say

age 7+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

No reviews yet.

Add your rating

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate book

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that, when it comes down to it, this book is about a slave in 1800s America. As such, the subject matter might engender questions about slavery. However, the poetry and drawings of the book deal solely with Dave's artistry and craft, and parents can decide how much they want to discuss his life as a slave.

Community Reviews

Pottery
Pottery Adult
May 6, 2011
age 8+

Sanford Pottery Festival in Sanford, NC is the best!

DAVE THE POTTER is the best illustrated book! A pure book about poetry in motion. Pottery is poetry in motion. I loved the plot, the biography and the elements of poetry in motion. Many thanks to Mr. Don Hudson and Mr. Ken Nielsen - Sanford Pottery Festival in Sanford, North Carolina. They are the BEST! Thank you for providing us the opportunity to experience poetry in motion - pottery! Contact D.K. Clay Pottery at 1214 Hawkins Avenue, Sanford, North Carolina 27330 for more details. Great! DAVE THE POTTER was introduced to elementary students before the Festival and the book, A SINGLE SHARD, by Linda Sue Park is a must read before the Sanford Pottery Festival held in May each year. Thanks again, Sue Cox at Broadway Elementary School in Broadway, NC 27505

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
PitIggyMom
PitIggyMom Adult
February 25, 2011
age 5+

This title has:

Educational value
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Dave was a real person, a slave who lived in South Carolina in the 1800s. He was a potter who somehow learned to read and write, and inscribed many of his pots with whimsical short poems, and the date they were created. The story, written in verse, focuses on his painstaking craft as he creates clay pots.

Is It Any Good?

It is difficult to convey the story of an artist slave in a picture book, but the author and illustrator succeed by focusing on the difficult, painstaking art of pottery. As kids get older, they will understand the historical significance of Dave's story and can delve into the final pages of the book, which present a guide to his life as well as resources for further reading. As such, the book celebrates, as the illustrator writes, "the power of the human spirit, artistry, and truth, and that cannot be silenced by bondage of any kind."

This book was a 2011 Caldecott Honor book for its vivid, textured illustrations. On the surface they are about a potter; delve deeper and he creates his art against backdrops of slave life in 1800s America, from images of slaves working in fields to the hint of an owner's mansion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about art. What are the different types of art that people can create? Which medium do you like to work with most -- clay, paint, crayon, something else?

  • Some families can use the information in the back of the book to explore Dave's life. Who was Dave? In which conditions did he live? How does his life story make his art more significant?

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate