Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship

Lincoln and Douglass: An American Friendship

Written by: Nikki Giovanni
Illustrated by: Bryan Collier

Easy Readability

"Our 16th president is known for many things: He delivered the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address.He was tall and skinny and notoriously stern-looking. And he also had some very strong ideas about abolishing slavery, ideas which brought him into close contact with another very visible public figure: Frederick Douglass. Douglass was born a slave but escaped in 1838 and became one of the central figures in the American abolitionist movement.

This book offers a glimpse into the unusual friendship between two great American leaders. At a time when racial tensions were high and racial equality was not yet established, Lincoln and Douglass formed a strong bond over shared ideals and worked alongside each other for a common goal."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:

http://teachingwithpicturebooks.blogspot.com/2009/09/lincoln-and-douglass-american.html

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft's Flight from Slavery

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft's Flight from Slavery

Written by: Dennis and Judith Fradin

"Both exciting escape adventure and gripping history, this account of a husband and wife on the run from slavery traces their journey to freedom in the U.S and across the world. Ellen is a light-skinned African American, daughter of the master who raped her mother. Disguised as a wealthy Southern gentleman, she escapes with her husband, William, disguised as her slave, and they travel by train and steamboat to freedom in Boston. When their astonishing story makes the fugitive couple famous, slave catchers come after them, so the Crafts leave for England, where they continue their abolitionist work, until their return home after the Civil War. The Fradins, whose many fine histories include Ida B. Wells (2000), draw heavily on the Crafts' personal accounts to add depth and drama to the carefully documented narrative. The handsome design includes lots of photos, archival artwork, letters, and newspaper accounts."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html

The River Between Us

The River Between Us

Written by: Richard Peck

"Richard Peck is a master of stories about people in transition, but perhaps never before has he told a tale of such dramatic change as this one, set during the first year of the Civil War. The whole country is changing in 1861-even the folks from a muddy little Illinois settlement on the banks of the Mississippi. Here, fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt frets over the fact that her brother is dreaming of being a soldier and that her sister is prone to supernatural visions. A boy named Curry could possibly become a distraction.

Then a steamboat whistle splits the air. The Rob Roy from New Orleans docks at the landing, and off the boat step two remarkable figures: a vibrant, commanding young lady in a rustling hoop skirt and a darker, silent woman in a plain cloak, with a bandanna wrapped around her head. Who are these two fascinating strangers? And is the darker woman a slave, standing now on the free soil of Illinois? When Tilly's mother invites the women to board at her house, the whole world shifts for the Pruitts and for their visitors as well.

Within a page-turning tale of mystery, adventure, and the civilian Civil War experience, Richard Peck has spun a breathtaking portrait of the lifelong impact that one person can have on another. This is a novel of countless riches."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=10911_type=Book_typeId=4695
http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Classroom-Teaching-Tools/Lesson-Plans/View-Lesson-Plans/463/lessonId__250/

Slavery and Abolition in American History

Slavery and Abolition in American History

Written by: Linda Jones Altman

"This series entries that provide portraits of difficult periods in American history. Altman focuses on the history of slavery and the rise of the Abolition movement. Her text is filled with anecdotes about some of the movement's key figures, which help alleviate some of the dryness of the text. Ziff approaches her subject through reports on the progress and the effect of Reconstruction on the life of Robert Fitzgerald, a former Union soldier, teacher, and free black who moved South to be a teacher in Virginia and North Carolina. These vignettes help bring the story of this time to life."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/african/afam007.html
http://www.ushistory.org/more/timeline.htm