Customer Reviews

Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Loosely based on the life of Orleans Finger, this is a touching story of a granddaughter's experience with her grandfather. This book works as a wonderful example of historical fiction and it is a beautifully illustrated picture book. To add historical accuracy, the grandfather recounts his story of escape via the Underground Railroad and his encounter with Rev. Stanton. Although the target audience is ages 5-9, some may have minor difficulty with the mild use of dialect and flashback. Still, it is a remarkable story with a powerful message of love and perseverance. It is a worthwhile read, indeed.

A man and his granddaughter walk through town, and when he greets everyone they pass, she asks him if he knows all of them. He responds that he does not know them "by name--just by heart...ain't nobody a stranger to me!" He used to be a slave and relates to his granddaughter the story of a specific suspenseful incident in which a Quaker farmer helped him and his wife travel to the next station on the Underground Railroad. He tells her that many people helped them, and now that he is free, he cannot help but be friendly toward others. As they walk through the family apple orchard, he recalls how as he planted apple seeds he remembered each person who had helped him. Excitedly, the granddaughter asks if she can plant an apple seed so she will remember what he has told her, "I won't forget what you said, Gran'pa--not ever!" Lavish watercolors saturated with color and filled with details convey beautifully time and place as well as the emotional resonance between the man and the child. This lovely picture book is "inspired by a statement by former slave Orleans Finger, who recounted his experiences for the Federal Writers' Project in 1937." Share with children, ages 4-8.