Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s American Heroes: Robert Smalls, the Boat Thief (Hardcover)

by Jr., Robert F. Kennedy (Author), Patrick Faricy (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: South Carolina, Robert Smalls, General Hunter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 5–8—This title celebrates the life of a little-known African-American hero. Born into slavery off the coast of South Carolina, Smalls later saved $700—almost enough to buy his young family's freedom. When the birth of a second child put a higher price on the prize, he started thinking of escape. In May of 1862, as a deckhand on a Confederate battleship, he and a small group of slaves and their families boarded the Planter in the dead of night and sailed off, delivering the ironclad to a squadron of Union warships. Not only were they safe and free, but Smalls and his crew were recognized by President Lincoln. As a Captain in the Union army, he would later convince the president to enlist 5000 former slaves, "shattering the color barrier that had kept blacks out of military service." After the war, Smalls joined the state senate and later served five terms in the House of Representatives. Despite the picture-book format, the book's lengthy text with sophisticated sentences and challenging vocabulary is best suited to older readers. Handsome single-page and full-spread paintings along with smaller black-and-white sketches enhance the narrative. This engaging biography sheds light on an interesting man and unique time in American history.—Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
In the latest entry in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s American Heroes series, Kennedy focuses not only on the daring escape Smalls made to freedom but also on Smalls as a political hero, especially his important role in the emancipation of slaves and in improving things for blacks during Reconstruction. The tone is sometimes too inspirational (he was “always noble and modest and spoke confidently for the cause of freedom”), but readers will still be able to appreciate the gripping history of how Smalls influenced Lincoln and how for 50 years, including during his six terms in Congress, he fought for American democracy and for the rights of the oppressed of all races—even at a time when the white supremacists in his state were triumphant. Like others in the sseries the volume features many illustrations—including maps,  small black-and-white portraits, and stirring, full-color scenes of ocean battles. A bibliography is planned but was not available for review. Grades 3-6. --Hazel Rochman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423108027
• ISBN-13: 978-1423108023
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #495,759 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, October 4, 2008

By	Yana V. Rodgers "http://econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a young slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, Robert Smalls worked in the McKee house with his mother, who regularly reminded him of the harsh conditions she had experienced as a field slave and the brutal treatment of other slaves in Beaufort. These lessons deepened Robert's hatred of slavery and his longing for freedom. When Robert was twelve, Henry McKee hired Robert out in Charleston for various jobs, including waiter, lamplighter, and stevedore. Robert's reputation as a hard worker with excellent technical abilities led to a position sailing a merchant schooner along the Georgia and Carolina coasts.

Over time, Robert married and had two children, but because the legal system required Robert to turn almost all his wages over to McKee, the dream of buying his family's freedom remained elusive. With the start of the Civil War, Robert found new work as a deckhand, and later pilot, on a large Confederate transport ship named the Planter. Robert ingeniously used this opportunity to strengthen his navigational skills, gain the confidence of the white officers, and learn the assorted coded whistle signals for passing by the check points in Charleston Harbor. With this training intact and family members on board, Robert and his crew commandeered the Planter across the harbor in May of 1862, delivered the ship to the Federal Navy, and celebrated their newfound freedom.

The book's carefully-written text and stunning illustrations pay tribute to a courageous man who became one of the biggest heroes of the Civil War. The book also emphasizes Robert Smalls' subsequent work fighting for social justice while serving in the South Carolina state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. Smalls wound up spending most of his life advocating for the end of institutionalized discrimination and the right for blacks to vote, hold office, attend public school, and join the military. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., known for his environmental activism, has made another valuable contribution by putting the inspiring story of Robert Smalls into the spotlight and making it accessible to young readers.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Surprised by too many inaccuracies but still worth reading . . ., October 1, 2008

By	Kraig W. Mcnutt (Franklin, TN) - See all my reviews

I received my fresh copy of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s new book, Robert Smalls: The Boat Thief, in the mail today. I was thrilled to read it.

My comments and criticisms do not take away from the reality that Kennedy has essentially got the basic story right, but the flaws in the book and the story as told, reduces the power of the fuller story as I will show in this review.

Overall, I'm delighted this book is in print and I'd recommend it for reading for grades 4th-6th, with the below-listed reservations.

In full-disclosure, I have been seriously researching the Robert Smalls story for eight years so some of my critiques might seem a little picks. You be the judge.

First, on the positive side, it is beautifully illustrated. Patrick Faricy did an excellent job. There are roughly 15 illustrations, mostly in color.

But there are several downsides to this book that need to be corrected if it is published in a second edition.

First, the publisher's web site says the book is intended for an audience of ages 8-12. That would be grades one through fifth. I'd disagree. It is more appropriate for grades 4th - 6th.

Are words like "audacious, stereotypes, precariousness, astern, archipelagos, fusillade" aimed at the lower elementary grades?

The story might appeal to grades 1-5 but the language reading level is way beyond what the average 1st through 3rd grader could comprehend.

Compared to other resources on Smalls aimed at children (i.e., Seven Miles to Freedom, Halfmann; and Robert Smalls Sails to Freedom, Brown) Kennedy's book is clearly better aimed at upper elementary grades.

Second, the author quotes Smalls as saying, "damned sight" (p. 21). Not only is the quote not historically true, why add an expletive into the narrative if it's aimed at the lower elementary ages?

Third, there are several inaccurate facts or statements in the book.

The author says that Robert (as a young boy) watched "slaves being whipped in the streets" in Beaufort. The truth is Robert only told of seeing one whipping in his youth at Beaufort. It was at the arsenal yard. The exaggeration is not needed to make the author's point.

Kennedy states that Robert was married to Hannah Jones in 1858 (p.3). In fact he was married on December 24, 1856 in Beaufort [see Billingsley p. 45]. Thus the author also gets the year of their first child - Elizabeth - wrong. His text implies it would have been 1859. In fact, she was born February 12, 1858. The correct date of marriage is important because the incorrect 1858-date is oft-repeated in secondary literature about Smalls.

Again, perhaps too picky, but the author states (p. 6) that the evening before the escape the black crew loaded the Planter with "six guns". To be accurate there were two guns already on the boat and so the crew would have only loaded four. Does it change the essence of the story? No? Is it more historically faithful? Yes.

Kennedy says that the ship's white officers were "court-marshalled, fined and imprisoned" (p. 16). In fact, only one prison sentence was meted out by the justice system, and yet all the convictions of the white crew were over-turned before an official prison sentence was served. In other words, they essentially got off scott-free under the Confederate justice courts.

Fourth, there are omissions that would have made the story richer. For example, Kennedy does not inform the reader that Lydia (Robert's mother) and Robert were from the Gullah culture in the Sea Islands of South Carolina.

Fifth, Kennedy mis-states the nature of regarding Smalls's promotion to Captain (pp. 21-24) . The biggest problem is that author suggests that Smalls was an official Captain of the U.S. Navy, as the Captain of the Planter. This might be hair-splitting but to due justice to the true story Smalls never got his fair-due as an official (i.e., on paper and documented) Captain of the Planter or for the U.S. Navy.

Smalls was black and denied that official designation and honor. Does that take anything away from the essential story either? No. But the more complete picture reveals how Smalls continued to serve with honor and distinction without having the appropriate and deserved respect of his peers and government.

Another correction to be noted is that Kennedy says that the action involving Smalls's 'promotion' to Captain took place in May 1863 (p.21). That is incorrect. It was in December 1863.

Perhaps being a little too picky, Kennedy could have added that the name of the McKee plantation Lydia worked on was called Ashdale, and that Robert was known as a house servant called 'Swonga'. Not major omissions but would have added some color and an opportunity for a teacher to expand on these facts in the classroom.

I apologize for being so nit-picky but since I love this story so much and desire for the entire truth to be known about the Smalls Civil War escape, I feel it is important to bring these points to one's attention.

I still plan on buying several copies and donating them to the elementary school libraries in my county in middle Tennessee.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, February 21, 2009

By	Carolyn Thompson "Mom MD" (Sullivans Island, SC, USA) - See all my reviews

I was very excited to see this book as it is such a wonderful story that deserves a wide telling. I was not acquainted with the other books out there about Robert Smalls, and the striking cover caught my eye. The art work is beautiful but the format is misleading. There must have been some intentionality on Kennedy's part to choose the words he chose. I certainly do not believe in dumbing down books, and I think sprinkling harder words amongst the text helps young readers learn new vocabulary, but this book seems intentionally obtuse! It's not a few lengthy words; it's 3 or 4 unfamiliar ( for kids) words every sentence. In addition to the multisyllabic words, there are shipping terms that young readers will be unfamiliar with. It seems a totally misspent effort - who is the audience? I'm not even sure it's 4th or 5th grade. I believe even older kids would need to have a dictionary at hand to read this book, but they would be put off by it's picture book appearance. Where were the editors on this book?