From Slave Ship to Freedom Road

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lester, Julius. 1998. From slave ship to freedom road. Ill. by Rod Brown. New York: Penguin. ISBN 9780140566697

PLOT SUMMARY

Julius Lester combines historical nonfiction (from the perspective of an ex-slave) with poems, narratives, and songs depicting slaves’ daily events from the time of the Middle Passage until freedom is granted following the Civil War.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Because of the nonfiction nature of Lester’s beautiful yet appalling book, characters are not really incorporated. Instead, Lester uses realistic portrayals from people who could have been actual people in history. Included are Mammy, the house slave, Sarah Jane and Timothy, the field workers. Given life in pictures, the slaves pictured appear to be authentic. Lester describes “the power in Mammy’s shoulders and arms,” which is complemented by Brown’s painting of a slave woman caring for the master’s children and laundry.

The people’s (both slaves and white men) emotions are clearly pictured in Brown’s paintings. On page 13, the slaves on auction show a variety of emotions: mostly anger and fear. The children hearing stories on page 26 are listening intently and grinning. Sorrow is felt as a soldiers watch one of their own die fighting for his freedom in the Civil War on page 34.

While most of the interactions expressed in the book are among the same culture, the book does point out how varied interactions with white folks were during that time. At the beginning of the book, the only interaction with another culture was with the white men buying and selling slaves at auction. Later in the book, readers see how slave owners had to sell slaves during times of financial trouble. Offering hope, white people against slavery aided runaways in their quest for freedom.

The setting in the book changes chronologically as events lead from, as the title implies, the slave ship to freedom. Locations include on a crowded ship at sea during the Middle Passage, at auction, in homes and field of masters, at war, and in forests or along rivers during the search for freedom. While not being terribly specific, Lester does tell of regions were slave trading was deemed as important or necessary for financial gain—mostly southern states on large plantations.

From Slave Ship to Freedom Road is rich in brutally honest historic detail while also including pieces of what is now known as the African American heritage: stories, poems, and spirituals. An important aspect of this piece, in my opinion, is the unbiased truth Lester puts into this historical telling. Lester’s writing shows no bitterness toward nor places blame on the white man for the brutality African Americans received during slavery. Instead, he asks readers to question and imagine the situation described; he attempts, quite successfully for this reader, to put readers in the place of the enslaved Africans.

Lester gives readers an idea of the work required by slaves: women sought after the children and household chores; however, they were not exempt from field labor. Most men, due to their strength, were utilized in areas of physical labor.

Their dress was not much of their own culture but typical of America at the time. Instead of bonnets, many women did wear wraps around their heads. When men’s clothing or hats were worn or torn, they mended it themselves or left it be. Page 18 is an example of a man who has a hole in his hat but does not fix it. The author questions how he got them and why he doesn’t get a new one. This small detail gives a view of the standard of living for slaves.

While the religion they were exposed to may not reflect the religion of their homelands, slaves adopted Christianity and the idea of a God who looked like them and had the power to free them, as He did the children of Israel. African American spirituals originated during this time.

As mentioned before, storytelling became a method for understanding the people’s purpose and “place…in the scheme of things” (p. 27).

Lester embeds “imagination exercises” though the book; some directed at the white people, some for African Americans, another for both. These exercises challenge the readers to think differently; to put themselves in the place of the slaves, causing the readers to analyze their original way of thinking. Open-ended questions give opportunity for personal reflection with the chance to reshape one’s thinking.

Rod Brown’s paintings perfectly match the nonfiction text Lester produced. Only photographs would be closer to real life. Brown includes a kind of detail only possible in person. The variety of skin tones, facial features, and stature give individuality to each person painted. These pictures steer clear of the stereotype that African Americans are “black.” Brown shows us many shades of brown, giving personality, too, to each face.

An example of the accuracy with which Brown paints is on page 19. The up-close view of the man caused this reader to want to feel his bristly, unshaven face, run my fingers along his deep wrinkles, and feel the softness of the cotton he holds in his hand. This man, Timothy, has a story, a longing in his eyes, and a son he longs to return.

Brown refuses to shy away from graphic details. Some pictures, such as the one on page 22, cause one to shudder. This picture shows the bloodied, flesh-stripped back of a slave who headed out to find freedom, only to return to be tortured further.

Lester’s informative writing paired with Brown’s graphic paintings create on fantastic piece of literature that challenges and enlightens readers about a dark time in our nation’s history.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

Marion Vannett Ridgway Award, 1999

Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 1998

Books in the Middle: Outstanding Books, 1998

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 1999

“…the combination of history, art, and commentary demands interaction and makes us imagine the daily life in the cabin, in the fields, and in the house; the importance of storytelling and religion; the anguish when a child is sold away.” –Booklist, 1998

“Brown's 21 paintings provide a cohesive narrative line and have a stunning power of their own, but the confrontational tone of the text may usurp readers' attention.” –Publisher’s Weekly, 1998

CONNECTIONS

Holocaust Connection

The sight and description of the slaves being transported on ships during the Middle Passage reminded me of the treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust. Many consider this period the “African American Holocaust.”

Make notes comparing and contrasting the two events (such as on a Venn diagram). Write a letter as a slave to a Jew (or other person punished) during the Holocaust. In his letter to the reader, Lester tells us that the words in the book are words from an ex-slave.  Give the person your story as if you are the ex-slave, pieces of hope, and ways to cope. Share the letters with the class.

Picture This…

Taking the position of either a slave, slave owner, or white person rendering aid to runaways, “photograph” (in any chosen means of illustration) and caption 3-5 events in a “typical” week.

Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Design a pair of shoes that would be worn by a slave. From the point of view of the shoes, write and record what things the shoes would have to do and where they would go over their lifetime. Combine these two elements to make a “talking shoe display”. 

Hush

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Woodson, Jacqueline. 2002. Hush. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN 9780399231148

PLOT SUMMARY

Toswiah Green, or is it Evie Thomas, isn’t sure of anything anymore. Taken from the only life she ever knew, Hush tells Evie’s story of adjustment from her familiar, comfortable life in Denver to her new, secretive life in a new place.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Hush by African-American author Jacqueline Woodson combines elements of mystery and uncertainty as she describes the major changes the Green (now Thomas) family undergoes.

Woodson uses the prologue, written in third person, to introduce the reader to the Green family—the way they were before. Woodson takes care to thoroughly describe Mama: “dark brown fingers” and “Chocolate. Dark wool. The smell of earth. Trees” (pp. 1-2). The daughters’ copper skin is comparably lighter, although not as light at their father’s skin. Woodson’s detail of skin tone gives the characters more individuality than just informing the reader that they are African American.

Woodson later incorporates descriptions of the sisters’ hair: in a braid because it is “kinky enough to stay braided without any elastics or barrettes” (p. 60). The author respectfully depicts the physical features of her main characters.

The occupations held by the Green parents—police officer and teacher—are realistic and authentic. They live in suburban Denver, so the family’s jobs, schools, hobbies, and home complement them.

Woodson also incorporates the interaction between characters of different races. In fact, that element is a major factor in the relocation of the family. At first glance, the story appears to develop as a war against the races. In fact, it is a war between right and wrong in the pursuit of justice.

Frequent flashbacks allow two stories to be told—the Green family’s life in Denver and the Thomas’ life in their new home. Flashbacks also allow the reader to compare the habits, freedoms, and personalities of the characters as situations change.

Woodson illustrates Denver, the Green’s original home, with great detail: “the moon is bright yellow, the sky blue-black, the shadows that are the Rocky Mountains” and “the scent of pine and cedar and air that is warm still” (p. 4). The new location, with its name unrevealed, often gets described as cool in temperature (warmer than Denver’s physical temperature but colder in spirit) with gray skies.

The family depicted in the book may or may not be a “typical” African American family. That is the point of the novel. Officer Green says it best, “Blood’s the same color no matter who it’s flowing through” (p. 50). This family is close—sometimes closer than desired. They love each another with a deep, matchless love. They work through trials together. One parent does not have more say than the other to begin with. When the dad shuts down, Mama leads the family for survival’s sake with her newfound religion.

Throughout the story, situations cause the reader to consider how he or she would respond to the same situation. If you witnessed the murder of a teenager of your race by two officers of a different race, would you assume the situation became about race? Was it an accident? How can you bring about justice? If you had to live in a brand new town and pretend to be a completely different person, how would you respond? Which character best reflects you if you were in this situation?

Written with diary-like truth, Woodson follows the characters through physical, social, and most impactful, emotional changes in the rewrite of the Thomas’ lives.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

“Woodson shows that while Evie's situation is extreme, everyone has to leave home and come to terms with many shifting identities.” --Starred review, Booklist, January 2002

ALSC American Library Association, Great Middle School Reads, 2004

YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, 2003

CONNECTIONS

Where am I?

Using the descriptions given in the book, decide where the Green/Thomas family moved. Make a travel brochure giving information about the characteristics and features of this location. While there is not necessarily one correct answer, you must be able to justify your choice with text evidence.

Comparing Apples to…um, the same apple

Each member of the family underwent some pretty significant changes. Create a trifold paper doll chain to document (with text evidence and citations) the changes of one member of the family at the beginning, middle, and end of the situation (not necessarily the B,M,E of the book).

Witness Protection Program

Working with a partner, imagine that an event occurs that requires your partner to enter the Witness Protection Program. Write a diary about how his/her life was turned upside down. Include information leading up to his/her relocation, his/her new home, and how he/she acclimated to the new environment. Use the diary as the narration for a play-acted “movie of the week” which will be performed for the class. 

Dog in Boots

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gormley, Greg. 2011. Dog in boots. Ill. by Roberta Angaramo. New York: Holiday House, Inc. ISBN 9780823423477

PLOT SUMMARY

After reading the adventurous tale of Puss in Boots, Dog decides he wants a pair of boots too. He discovers that the boots do not meet his needs. After trading in shoe after shoe, he realizes his paws best suit his needs!

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Dog in Boots by Greg Gormley is inspired by the 17^th Century fairy tale Puss in Boots. In this book, the main character, Dog, interacts with humans—he speaks their language, too! Dog shows his persistence in finding the perfect footwear, an admirable trait in a protagonist.

The plot is logically constructed with Dog’s sequence of trial and error with each pair of shoes. Each set of shoes seems to serve only one purpose. He is forced to trade them in for what he hopes to be a better pair. The conflict continues in this pattern until the shop owner points out the solution: Dog’s paws are the perfect fit for all the tasks he needs done!

Gormley does not set this story in a very specific location. The reader learns it takes place in a country with a monarch. (The queen sends Dog away after swimming in her lake.) Based on the illustrations, the humans appear to be Caucasian. The location of the story matters little in relation to the plot.

The author also does not indicate the time frame of the story. One might assume Dog goes through this situation in one day’s time; however, there is no real proof.

Dog in Boots contains two underlying themes. The first is persistence. Dog returns to the shoe shop many times in search of the perfect shoe. He is determined, and does not give up, no matter how unhelpful the previous shoe was.

The second theme is one of self-confidence. Dog thinks he needs something he does not have to do his jobs successfully when he possessed the tools (paws) all along. Both of the themes are presented passively rather than blatantly clear.

The illustrations complement the witty, quick-moving plot. Full-page illustrations draw readers’ attention. Moods and emotions are pictured. For example, when Dog wears the rain boots swimming, the fish at the bottom of the lake have looks of fear on their faces, as does Dog. Illustrator Roberta Angaramo deserves high praise for her wonderful depiction of this playful story.

Dog in Boots lacks much cultural detail. The extent of it includes the presence of a queen, the skin tone of the two human characters, and the inclusion of 17^th Century French fairy tales.

Dog in Boots will secure readers’ attentions with its fast-paced story, Dog’s hilarious antics, and brightly colored illustrations.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

Bluebonnet Award Nominee, Texas, 2012
Texas 2x2 Award Nominee, 2012

“With a repetitive text filled with sly, kid-friendly jokes and comical, expressive acrylic paintings, this title exudes storytime fun.”—Booklist, March 2011

“Kids will enjoy the book’s playful premise and endearing main character, whose exuberant, tongue-lolling personality comes across vividly through Greg Gormley’s inventive text and Roberta Angaramo’s colorful illustrations.” –Children’s Literature

“A truly enjoyable selection and a nice follow-up to a favorite fairy tale, just right for reading aloud.” –Kirkus, Feb. 2011

CONNECTIONS

To be continued…

Dog in Boots leaves the end of the story hanging, perfect for a sequel. With a group, choose to either write/illustrate or script/perform the sequel to Dog in Boots. Be sure to give your book or play an amusing title!

Once Upon a Time

The inspiration for Dog in Boots came from the fairy tale Puss in Boots. Research other fairy tales (not just ones with European origins), and create a story similar to Dog in Boots. Your story should have a character who has been motivated to act based on something he/she has read.

Design a Shoe

Dog tried lots of different shoes to meet his need. You will design a shoe for another animal that meets all its needs. Begin by brainstorming the daily tasks and activities your animal does. Then sketch out a shoe that is able to do all those things. Be sure to label how the shoe meets the animal’s needs.

Soldier Bear

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Tak, Bibi Dumon. 2011. Soldier bear.  Ill. by Philip Hopman. Translated by Laura Watkinson. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802853752

PLOT SUMMARY

World War II required immense amounts of manpower. But bear power? Yes, indeed! Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak is the true tale of Voytek, the Syrian Brown Bear who aided the transport company of the 2^nd Polish Corps as an ammunition transporter.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The story of Voytek, the soldier bear, is an endearing one; however, Tak fails to reveal cultural details that give deeper meaning to the story.

Tak avoids stereotyping by neglecting to fully develop the five main human characters. In fact, as I was reading, I paid little attention to who was speaking because I felt no connection to the characters. Their background—released prisoners of war fighting along side the British—is briefly explained, but their personalities are not detailed enough to distinguish between the five main soldiers. Their situation is believable as it was common in that period for former Polish POWs to join ranks with the Allied forces.

To the author’s advantage, the soldiers’ names fit their Polish nationality. (I wonder if these may be the names of the original soldiers. In my search for answers, I have not discovered the soldiers’ actual names.)

The interaction of the five soldiers with other cultures includes troops from the British and American Armies as well as the citizens in war zones and camps of Italy, Iran, Egypt, and Scotland. Most of these interactions are in regards to strangers’ amazement at Voytek and do not detail how the differences in culture effect their communications. One exception is when the soldiers meet with a higher-ranking officer from the British Army. Stanislav uses heated words toward the officer in his native Polish, which the officer did not understand.

The narrative could be enhanced with the use of Polish dialect accompanied by translations. The choice of slang in one instance raises question about its authenticity. On page 134, Peter addressed Voytek as “old mate”, which has Australian origins rather than Polish.

Because the majority of the book takes place at Army camps, only a few particulars are provided about the land outside the camp. When in Iran, Tak describes the mountainous terrain and desert conditions. Once the soldiers ship off to Italy, they have the opportunity to visit the coast and farmlands filled with fresh fruit. Culturally distinguishing information about the various countries are left out.

The troops are unified in their fight against Germany, but their cultural diversity is not celebrated or clearly defined. Cultural dress, customs, and language is not described with any detail.

As an award-winning piece of literature, Soldier Bear tells a touching story about a pet turned troop in the war effort during World War II. The illustrations provide visuals to accompany the text. The maps included prove useful when keeping up with the soldiers’ voyages. The language used is ideal for younger readers, as it is simple with very little figurative language.

The nature of the story invites readers to think and research further about daily life with a bear as part of a regimented Army camp. This curious situation causes reflection about how the soldiers’ dreary situation may have differed without the animals in the camp.

REVIEWS AND AWARDS

Batchelder Award Winner, 2012

American Library Association Notable Children's Books, 2012

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Honor Book, 2012

“Tak offers an engaging story of grown-up protagonists and situations, focusing on Voytek’s exploits and his interactions with a menagerie of other animals. Hopman’s expressive grease-pencil illustrations add to the story’s accessibility, grounding the proceedings with charm. An afterword featuring archival photographs of the real Voytek closes this uplifting, welcome addition to WWII studies.” –Booklist, October 2011

“Funny, fresh and heartwarming, it doesn't ignore the horrors of war but concentrates on the joy of having an animal friend, albeit a difficult one. Readers of any age do not need to know anything about the complicated history of the Polish free forces or even World War II to enjoy this tale of "a friend and a mascot who made the war easier to bear.” –Kirkus, August 2011

CONNECTIONS

Related Books (as cited at the end of Soldier Bear)

Soldier Bear by Geoffrey Morgan and W.A. Lasocki

Silent Heroes by Evelyn le Chene

Europe at War by Norman Davies

Voytek’s Resume

Using a resume template, write Voytek’s resume at the end of his career in the Army. As an added bonus, write a cover letter for Voytek as if he were applying for a job.

Detailed Map

Using a map of Europe and the Middle East, route Voytek and the soldiers’ passage. Include a detailed description of the events that took place at each location—especially the skills, tricks, or troubles Voytek participated in.

Radio Broadcast

During this time period, many people got their news through radio broadcasts. In your group, create and record a broadcast script detailing one day’s events from the book. Be sure to include Voytek’s contributions in the war efforts.