Growing Up in Slavery: Stories of Young Slaves as Told By Themselves [Paperback]

Yuval Taylor (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2007

Ten slaves—all under the age of 19—tell stories of enslavement, brutality, and dreams of freedom in this collection culled from full-length autobiographies. These accounts, selected to help teenagers relate to the horrific experiences of slaves their own age living in the not-so-distant past, include stories of young slaves torn from their mothers and families, suffering from starvation, and being whipped and tortured. But these are not all tales of deprivation and violence; teenagers will relate to accounts of slaves challenging authority, playing games, telling jokes, and falling in love. These stories cover the range of the slave experience, from the passage in slave ships across the Atlantic—and daily life as a slave both on large plantations and in small-city dwellings—to escaping slavery and fighting in the Civil War. The writings of Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, Harriet Jacobs, Elizabeth Keckley, and other lesser-known slaves are included.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Taylor introduces these accounts with a discussion of the slave narrative as a literary genre, followed by a brief history of slavery in the United States. The 10 excerpts are arranged chronologically by original publication date and span the years between 1745 and the 1860s. Each narrative is preceded by brief biographical notes about its author and concludes with an account of the remainder of the person's life. These articulate, heartbreaking stories show slavery's effect on its youngest victims, children subjected to extraordinary toil and punishment from their earliest years. The circumstances and personalities of the authors differed significantly. One was captured in Africa and suffered the horrors of transport in a slave ship. Some toiled on large plantations, others on small farms or in city houses. Adolescent girls suffered from the attentions of predatory masters and the vengeance of jealous mistresses. Surviving brutality, fear, and deprivation, the children prevailed through courage, resolution, and wisdom. The risks taken to learn to read or to visit a beloved relative sold to a new master were incredible. Ten woodcut illustrations are included.-Kathy Tewell, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. Ten African Americans--among them Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs, as well as less well-known individuals--tell what it was like to be a child and teenager under slavery. Taylor, who leads off with an excellent historical overview, has taken the long, stirring stories from his two-volume adult anthology I Was Born a Slave (1999), and he expands each smoothly and unobtrusively edited account with clear introductory notes and concluding commentary. The writers recall misery, cruelty, and horrific violence, but just as strong are their memories of courageous rebellion, both secret and open, including their shared triumph: once forbidden to read and write, they grew up to publish their life stories. The type is small, and the narratives are dense, but powerful full-page woodcuts help focus the drama. Invaluable for students in search of primary-source material, and many selections will make riveting read-alouds. A bibliography is appended. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556526350
• ISBN-13: 978-1556526350
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #370,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Teens > Biographies

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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Item arrived quickly and in great condition, January 2, 2012

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This review is from: Growing Up in Slavery: Stories of Young Slaves as Told By Themselves (Paperback)

Other than that (the title of the review), I can't comment much because I bought this book as a gift for a program for underprivileged kids. I didn't read it and was unable to get feedback.