Voices from the Underground Railroad

by Kay Winters

Hardcover, 2018

Status

Available

Call number

973.7

Barcode

202

Tags

Publication

Dial Books (2018), Edition: Illustrated, 48 pages

Description

"From the creators of Voices from the Oregon Trail and Colonial Voices, an unflinching story of two young runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad, told in their voices and those who helped and hindered them It's the 1850s and enslaved siblings Jeb and Mattie are about the make a break for freedom. The pair travel north from Maryland to New Bedford, Massachusetts along the Underground Railroad. Each spread tells about a step of their journey through a poem in the first person perspective. The main and repeating voices are Jeb and Mattie, but we also hear from the station masters and conductors, those who offer them haven, as well as those who want to capture them. Like its predecessors in the Voices series, this richly researched and beautifully illustrated picture book brings a difficult chapter of American history to life for young readers"-- "Siblings Mattie and Jeb escape slavery via the Underground Railroad, meeting helpful conductors and dodging slave catchers as they travel from Maryland to Massachusetts"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member DonnaMarieMerritt
A wonderful book told in prose poems about a brother and sister who escape slavery. It has just enough edge for elementary students without scaring them. The historical notes and reference section at the end are an excellent resource for further exploration.
LibraryThing member sgentr1
I have mixed feelings about this book. It is an important historical event that children need to learn about and understand, and I like that the book does not shy away from the heavy areas and occurences. However there was not any light to balance it out for children which may make children
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disengage from the book. The facts of the story are well researched and realistic, but are presented in lofty language that may be difficult for children to understand. I did like that a map of their journey was included on the inside cover with historical notes written at the end of the book. This provides the story with details and grounding which may help some readers understand that the book may not be real, but the event was real and many went through similar ordeals to Jeb and Mattie. The main idea of this story is to teach children about the Underground Railroad through a story that may be more relatable than just facts in a textbook.
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Language

Original language

English

Physical description

48 p.; 11.25 inches

ISBN

0803740921 / 9780803740921
Page: 0.1594 seconds