Escape into the Night (Riverboat Adventures, Book 1) [Paperback]

Lois Walfrid Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Join Libby, Caleb, and Jordan On a Race for Freedom-

Twelve-year-old Libby Norstad isn't sure she's going to like her new life on the Mississippi River in 1857. After all, how many girls her age live on a steamboat? And life isn't any easier with Caleb, the cabin boy who's always on some mysterious mission and who seems determined to make Libby miserable.

When a fugitive slave comes aboard, Libby and Caleb find themselves tangled up together in the Underground Railroad, trying to help Jordan escape from the slave catchers. But many miles lie between the riverboat and the free northern states. With bloodhounds sniffing their tracks, will they ever bring Jordan to safety?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8?Libby Norstad, 12, has been pampered while living with her aunt in a Chicago mansion since the death of her mother. Now her father, a riverboat captain traveling the Mississippi in 1857, takes her to live on the boat with him, where she meets Caleb, a 13-year-old cabin boy who both annoys and intrigues her. Libby soon discovers that he is a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Her curiosity lands her in the midst of adventure, as she and Caleb desperately search for a way to elude the slave catchers in pursuit of the three people the children are trying to help escape. Bloodhounds, crossing an icy river on foot, disguises, and physical hardship all contribute to a fast-moving story of a race to freedom. Johnson nicely weaves many historical figures and factual details into her narrative, and a heavy reliance on dialogue lends immediacy. The characters are well developed and multifaceted, especially Libby, whose transformation from a spoiled brat into a self-sacrificing heroine rings true. An underlying theme of personal religious faith in action adds depth without domination. A diagram of the riverboat and a map of the upper Mississippi are helpful in following the action.?Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. After being raised by her aunt on Chicago's Gold Coast, Libby is finally reunited with her father, the captain of a Mississippi River steamboat. During her first excursion with him, she finds she must come to terms with her beliefs about slavery. Caleb, the captain's boy, is her patient teacher, and Jordan, a runaway slave, offers her a real-life lesson in being a conductor on the Underground Railroad. In this first book in the Riverboat Adventure series, history is deftly woven into a fast-paced plot and combined with well-developed characters, believable dialogue, and crisp description. The result is an exciting read, with a thoughtful exploration of the slavery issue, as seen through Libby's eyes, adding to the drama. Lois Schultz

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556613512
• ISBN-13: 978-1556613517
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #858,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Exciting Adventure, November 13, 2001

By 

Jess (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Escape into the Night (Riverboat Adventures, Book 1) (Paperback)

12-year-old Libby Norstad had lived with her aunt for several years because of her mother's death, hardly seeing her father, captain of the steamboat Christina, and leading a sheltered life. But things change quickly, and Libby moves onto the steamboat with her father! She meets Caleb, the cabin boy, who seems different to Libby. He's a part of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves reach freedom, and along with Captain Norstad, he teaches Libby some important lessons about being free. In fact, Caleb and Captain Norstad take a fugitive slave, Jordan, on board to help him find his family. Unfortunately, the Christina is being followed by Jordan's former owner, Riggs. Libby and Caleb need to keep Jordan hidden from him, but is it possible with such a crafty man?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good start to a historical fiction series., September 3, 2004

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Escape into the Night (Riverboat Adventures, Book 1) (Paperback)

This is the first book in the Riverboat Adventures series. This series is about a young girl who becomes involved in the Underground Railroad while living on her father's Mississippi River steamboat in the 1850s.

Since her mother's death four years ago, twelve-year-old Libby Norstad has lived with her aunt and uncle in their Chicago mansion. In that time, she has seen her father only rarely, because he is a riverboat captain on the Mississippi River. Now that Libby is older, her father has decided that she will live with him on his riverboat, the Christina. The year is 1857, and arguments over slavery are beginning to divide America. Libby has never had to think much about slavery, but she has always assumed that slaves are well-treated by their masters, and are better off that way than trying to make it on their own. But her new life aboard the Christina challenges her beliefs, when she discovers that Caleb, the ship's cabin boy, is active in the Underground Railroad. Caleb exposes Libby to the horrors of slavery, and she is forced to confront her beliefs about right and wrong for the first time in her life.

This book was well-written and full of interesting historical details, and Libby's character transformation was believable. I would recommend it to readers who are interested in this time period in history, and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exciting Book!, February 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Escape into the Night (Riverboat Adventures, Book 1) (Paperback)

I loved this book! Libby, Caleb, and Jordan feel like friends. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. And I didn't know this stuff about the Underground Railroad. Thank you, Mrs. Johnson, for writing such a good book.