*Words By Heart by Ouida Sebestyen

Words By Heart is a powerful and nuanced Story full of Truth, laid on the firm foundation that it is not enough to hide Scripture in our hearts; we must believe it and live thereby in the face of trial and prejudice.

*Words By Heart by Ouida Sebestyen. Bantam Doubleday, 1996. 144 pages.

• Reading Level:Middle Grades
• Recommended For: Ages 12-15

A Bible Memory Contest Starts It All

Lena Sills has a knack for memorizing Scripture, and she is determined to win the local Bible memorizing contest and make her Papa proud. But she’s black, and no one expected it of her, and doing so doesn’t bring the glory she hoped for. After seeing evidence that the family has an enemy, instead of heaping praise on the daughter he loves, Papa asks Lena to consider the bigger picture of where they live now and where they came from (an all-black community). His words of bravery and wisdom include caution and consideration of others. 

After her triumph, Papa interrupts her regular routine of going to church and school to send her to work for Mrs. Chism, a self-indulgent wealthy widow who owns the land her father works as a sharecropper, and who resents her children for wanting nothing to do with her. Lena craves the books Mrs. Chism keeps in the attic, and can’t resist the risk of “borrowing” one to feed her hungry mind, risking the consequences of something happening before she can return it and borrow another. 

Tension rises when Mrs. Chism sends Papa to retrieve fence posts and wire from the Haneys. Mr. Haney used to be one of her sharecroppers, but his laziness exasperated her and she hired Papa to do the job instead. While Lena is inclined to despise the Haneys, especially the oldest boy, she can’t help pitying Sammy, one of his younger brothers who is mocked and bullied by others at school.

Although you expect the tragedy that is hinted in the summary on the back of the book, the story is rich and the characters are complex with a sympathetic side that will surprise you.

Words By Heart Shows Truth and Story

Words by Heart is the best book I’ve read in a while. Originally published in the late 1970s, this short novel powerfully demonstrates what we at Redeemed Reader believe about Truth and Story. It’s hard for me to write a review that does this book justice without giving away spoilers; I just hope you read it. 

It’s a story about the reality of racism in the 1920s and the challenges of being the only Black family in a white community, but the characters are nuanced, not stereotyped. Over and over again leaning on Scripture is emphasized as the foundation of life; not just memorizing the words, but believing them in your heart and finding peace in the midst of trial. The ending is painful, but not without hope. Birth follows death. Redemption follows violence. 

Bottom Line: A powerful, moving story for fans of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Considerations:

• Language: “Hell,” “Damn,” and “Nigger”
• Sexuality: appropriate marital affection and intimacy

Considerations: None.

*indicates a starred review, an excellent example in its field. Remember, unless a book is starred, a review is not necessarily a recommendation. Read more about our ratings here.This book also won the National Book Award in 1982.

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Book Review: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Mildred Taylor’s Legacy
• Resource: Talking About Books That Talk About Race (two more books tackling racism)
• Book Review: One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome is another recent book for this same age group that also looks at a lesser known part of Black history and includes faith prominently

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