In the years leading up to the Civil War, young James Starman and his family join other freed slaves to build a town in northern Indiana, a cherished place that they christen with the name ""Freedom."""
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2. Sanders continues to explore the experience of blazing new trails and creating community in the wilderness. This time his subject is an African-American family freed from slavery in 1832. After settling on untamed land along the Wabash River in Indiana, Papa returns frequently to the Tennessee plantation to guide other loved ones north. (It is unclear here whether he is guiding them as a conductor on the Underground Railroad or if they, too, have been freed.) Eventually, his bustling settlement warrants railroad tracks and a name (in actuality, Lyles Station, not "Freedom"). Told from the point of view of James, who is seven when the story begins, the narrative is brief but full of memorable images: "Papa called Lettie a short drink of water, because she was little and wriggly, and he called me a long gulp of air, because I was tall and full of talk." Allen's scenes, in muted earth tones and foggy blues, are close-up cameos, his pastel edges fading into the white page?an effective technique, suggesting a sequence of rising and falling memories. Some of the "recollections" give way to full, double-page, colored-pencil illustrations, making this a successful choice for groups despite the subtle hues. While much is available on the Underground Railroad for the picture-book audience, parallels to the "Little House" experience for African Americans are relatively scarce. It is that focus and the fine writing that make this book a breath of fresh air.?Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Ages 5-8. After being freed from slavery in 1832, seven-year-old James Starman, his sister, and their parents walk from Tennessee to Indiana, where they decide to settle. Papa plants crops and builds a cabin; Mama sews clothes and teaches her children to read and write; and, whenever he can, Papa returns to Tennessee, transporting other friends and relatives to safety in the North. As the years go by, an entire town of African Americans develops, which the residents name Freedom. Allen's illustrations, rendered in blue pastels with accents of brown, red, and gold, suit the upbeat mood of the story and portray many common frontier activities. Based on the true story of the founding of Lyle Station, Indiana, this will make an excellent addition to primary history units and may spur students to discover the histories of their own towns. Kay Weisman
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