Born a slave, Frederick Douglass grew up facing hunger, hard work, and terrible beatings. After overhearing that reading was the key to freedom, Frederick became determined to learn to read. Against all odds, he did learn and escaped from slavery. A powerful and inspirational speaker, Frederick spoke and wrote about his remarkable life and fought for the freedom and equal rights of African American men and women.
Jeni Reeves is a painter and children's book illustrator with a background in communication and fine arts. Her illustrated picture books include authors' stories about world culture, history, biography, and folklore. Travel and study fuel Jeni's work, as does an abiding interest in history and language.