Hidden and hunted, the escape of southern slaves to the north remains a compelling event in american history. The story of the underground railroad coloring book. Clara is taught to sew by another slave on the plantation so that she can work in the big house instead of in the fields. It was a network of people who provided shelter and supplies to slaves trying to es. A quilt with the north star pattern hung on a rail fence comprises the opening page spread, which is followed by a scene showing confederate soldiers riding across a field bordering.
Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Sweet clara and the freedom quilt this 1995 classic is a fictional story of a seamstress who helps fellow enslaved people find freedom on the underground railroad using a quilt. A powerful symbol of resistance, the underground railroad. It was a name given to the way that people escaped. A story from the underground railroad is a wordless picture book by henry cole.
One of the most obvious themes is that of survival. A new york times best illustrated book designed to present youngsters with a moral choice. No one is sure where it originally got its name, but the underground part of the name comes from its secrecy and the railroad part of the name comes from the way it was used to transport people. By ones, twos, and threes, in the years before the civil war thousands of enslaved people slipped through the night on their way to freedom, riding the underground railroad. Black pencil illustrations on buffcolored pages detail a wordless story set during the civil war. In this video we discuss the underground railroad and its most critical stop in the city of niagara falls new york. Books for kids underground railroad barbara lowell. The underground railroad quilt code in childrens books. Books that feature quilts as guides for slaves making their way north to freedom include aunt harriets underground railroad quilt in the sky by faith ringgold, sweet clara and the freedom quilt by deborah hopkinson, the patchwork path. The story of a conductor on the underground railroad encounter. Receive book suggestions, reading tips, educational activities, and great deals. Aunt harriets underground railroad in the sky ringgold, faith on. Reading out loud two childrens books on the subject of the underground railroad that slaves traveled to freedom from the southern united states through to. A story from the underground railroad by henry cole.
The underground railroad is the topic of too many childrens books this fall north by night by katherine ayres, bright freedoms song by gloria houston, and the last safe house by barbara greenwood, but woodruffs poignant story manages to stand on its own and hold some ground, though not as powerful as ayress north by night. Stories from the underground railroad had long been relegated to nonfiction or the broad and. This book is better because it shows the active resisance of blacks to their captivity. 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. Crystal is an activist, feminist, and mom of three. Books about slavery picture books hopkinson, deborah. If you enjoyed this list of books about the underground railroad, youll love our newsletter. Harriet tubman bravely used the underground railroad.
The story begins with confederate soldiers marching through a girls farmland. Voices from the underground railroad by kay winters. Notable childrens books of 19401970, american library association. Too often, the underground railroad stories are of heroic whites rescuing helpless blacks. When wgn americas drama underground debuted last winter, it seemed like a cultural outlier. By deborah hopkinson, illustrated by james ransome the snowy day the snowy day was one of the first childrens books to focus on a noncaricatured african. This book is best for kids reading at a third grade level or higher. See more ideas about underground railroad, childrens books and books. Books and authors top teaching blog teachers tool kit student activities. Sadie, the youngest crosswhite, shuddered when she saw the paddy rollers thunder into the slave yard on their horses, draggin a runaway on the end of a rope behind them. Underground railroad childrens book collection discover. Shocking views of slave pens, below decks aboard a slave ship, methods of punishing runaway slaves, refugees arriving at a safe house, and more. This book features interesting facts, lots of illustrations, maps, and profiles of those who made the journey.
Before we get to the book club questions, lets talk about some prominent themes in the underground railroad. Picture books are generally great options for toddlers and. Soon afterward, clara learns about maps and the underground railroad. A time line, reading list, glossary, and listing of web sites for further exploration complete this activity book. Get 10% off your first order at the scholastic store online when you sign up.
An underground railroad story by cari meister adapter, robert squier illustrator follow the drinking gourd is an american folk song from the 1920s. The girl is helping her mother with the daily chores that goes with running a farm exp. I would love suggestions of books picture books and chapter books for a study of the underground railroad. The sources i drew from were those generally available to the public, primarily general interest books on the underground railroad. I was especially moved by the photos of harriet tubman. Its for my daughter who is finishing fourth grade, but im happy to have titles for older childrenyoung adults as well. Fortyfour dramatically illustrated scenes tell the story of the secret network that took runaway slaves from southern states to the north and canada between 1830 and 1860. Its the true story of henry box brown, a man who mailed himself to freedom, to a. She helped rescue over 300 people from slavery through the underground railroad.
The childrens book experts this list of the best kids books about slavery is sure to include a. Africanamerican, slavery, fugitives, underground railroad, freedom. Books for kids about the underground railroad scholastic. To help you find the right books for you and your young reader, weve compiled a list of the best kids books about the underground railroad. Underground railroad book list scholastic books for kids. Book aunt harriets underground railroad in the sky by. These 16 childrens books about the underground railroad will help your children learn more about this important movement in history. Explore how harriet tubman went from being a slave on a plantation in maryland to one of the most important figures in american history.
With thousands of childrens books, audiobooks, and videos, there is no limit to what children can learn and explore. A quilt map to freedom by bettye stroud, under the quilt of dark by deborah hopkinson, the secret to. A reverent retelling of harriet tubmans brave work on the underground railroad, written by carole boston weatherford with luminous illustrations by kadir nelson. Below are more than 60 books we recommend for the classroom and as background reading for parents and teachers on the history of slavery and resistance in the united states. The underground railroad was not literally a railroad underground. Jan 3, 2018 a collection of children s books to support the underground railroad documentary, dawn of day, produced by kansas state universitys college of education. Jan 3, 2018 a collection of childrens books to support the underground railroad documentary, dawn of day, produced by kansas state universitys college of education. She loves reading, crochet, and enjoying her family and friends. Childrens literature has many notable options when it comes to the underground railroad. The underground railroad by colson whitehead, the last runaway by tracy chevalier, unspoken. I read this as one of six books chosen by the childrens books groups picture books club for its february theme of black history month. Narrative nonfiction picture books glatzer, jenna, glenn, ebony on. Follow the drinking gourd childrens books read aloud.