Jalani and the Lock. - Review - book review

Jalani and the Lock written and illustrated by Lorenzo Pace Rosen Publishing Group, January 2001, $17.95, ISBN 0-823-99700-6

Lorenzo Pace's installations and performance art have been presented both nationally and internationally. In this, his debut children's book Jalani and the Lock, Pace describes the harsh reality of enslavement with simplicity and style. Using a straightforward story narrative to detail the history of his own ancestor, Pace provides an intriguing lesson. For the parents and teachers who want to introduce the complex theme of slavery to young children, Pace's Jalani and the Lock is just the tool.

Beginning in Africa, the wonderful use of colors and abstract illustrations will draw children into the as Jalani-like many other children--is told the boundaries of his play area. Like many children, Jalani tests those boundaries and is captured and taken to a large ship. The use of simple sentences and well-placed symbols assist the reader in making Jalani's transition from life in Africa to that of captivity in America. The marriage of text and illustration carries this story so vividly that very young children will gain exposure to the sense of loss that Jalani feels as his food, language, name and play are all stripped away. However the memories cannot be stripped away from Jalani and they sustain him until he is finally freed.

Jalani keeps the lock that shackled him and hands it down to his eldest "so they never forget where they all came." Likewise, the lock that originally shackled Steve Pace, the great-great-grandfather of the author and illustrator was presented to Lorenzo Pace following the funeral of his father, Bishop Elder Eddie T. Pace and this story is a tribute to his long memory.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Cox, Matthews & Associates
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group