The Underground Railroad for Kids: From Slavery to Freedom with 21 Activities (3) (For Kids series) - Softcover

Carson, Mary Kay

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1556525540 ISBN 13: 9781556525544

Publisher: Chicago Review Press, 2005

Synopsis

The heroic struggles of the thousands of slaves who sought freedom through the Underground Railroad are vividly portrayed in this powerful activity book, as are the abolitionists, free blacks, and former slaves who helped them along the way. The text includes 80 compelling firsthand narratives from escaped slaves and abolitionists and 30 biographies of "passengers," "conductors," and "stationmasters," such as Harriet Tubman, William Still, and Levi and Catherine Coffin. Interactive activities that teach readers how to navigate by the North Star, write and decode a secret message, and build a simple lantern bring the period to life. A time line, reading list, glossary, and listing of web sites for further exploration complete this activity book. The Underground Railroad for Kids is an inspiring story of brave people compelled to act in the face of injustice, risking their livelihoods, their families, and their lives in the name of freedom.

About this title

About the Author:

Mary Kay Carson has written more than 15 nonfiction books for children, including The Wright Brothers for Kids, Easy Science Activity Journals, and Space. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 5-9–Beginning with a time line that traces the history of slavery in America, this thorough overview includes a narrative history, many quotes from primary sources, archival drawings and photographs, and 21 related projects. The main text is printed in black ink; quotations from historical sources are printed in sepia, as are the illustrations. Brief biographies are provided for famous conductors such as Harriet Tubman, and the many stationmasters, brakemen, and courageous African-American and white individuals who served as guides. The volume is densely packed with information. Occasionally the material introduced in the text is repeated in the sidebars. The activities seem geared to a younger audience than the one to which the rest of the book is addressed and are in some cases simplistic and potentially offensive. For example, dressing up like Seminoles or tying up one's passion in a cloth sack or wearing a disguise seem to trivialize rather than enhance the experiences that are described. Some of the projects may be used by a perceptive and sensitive teacher to spark meaningful discussion, but for the general nonfiction shelves, this is not a first purchase. Try James Haskins's Following Freedom's Star (Marshall Cavendish, 2001) instead.–Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH

About this edition

• Publisher: Chicago Review Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1556525540
• ISBN 13: 9781556525544
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176