Secret Signs: Along the Underground Railroad [Hardcover]

Anita Riggio (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1997 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

In the mid-1800s, Luke and his mother help support themselves by making panoramic eggs of maple sugar. When a man bursts into their home and accuses them of hiding slaves, Luke's mother denies the charges--although she is planning to meet her contact on the Underground Railroad that very day. With his mother held at home, Luke, who is deaf, must use his resources and creative talents to help make the connection. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3. When slave catchers prevent Luke's mother from selling sugar eggs at the general store as she usually does, the boy, who communicates through sign language, must find the courage and means to deliver the information about a new hiding place for runaway slaves. He secretly removes a painting in one of the eggs and creates a replacement, thus identifying the new site, and puts the egg in the contact's hands. The illustrations, rendered in watercolor and gouache, are somewhat amateurish and anachronistic, e.g., Luke's paint box looks like it came from a modern-day Woolworths. While readers may be interested in how the deaf boy conveys the secret message, the story itself is contrived. Stronger books on the Underground Railroad include Faith Ringgold's Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky (Crown, 1993) and Michael Rosen's A School for Pompey Walker (Harcourt, 1995).?Susan M. Moore, Louisville Free Public Library, KY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Riggio (A Moon in My Teacup, 1993, etc.) combines folk art and her experiences with sign language into a story about the Underground Railroad. Luke, who is deaf, paints scenes on paper to insert into the sugar eggs he and Mama sell as novelties at the general store, but they are interrupted by a pair of wild-eyed slave catchers who burst into their house. They detain Mama but allow Luke to take the eggs to town, where he intends to pass along information about a safe haven to a contact on the Underground Railroad. As Luke and the man ride into town, the boy secretly disposes of a newly painted scene from one of the eggs. Once in the store, he easily spots his contact, and by turning the creation of a new scene into a small piece of performance art, distracts the slave- catcher long enough to transfer his valuable message. Although some readers may find the story interesting, it has a patched- together, arbitrary feel; the ``secret signs'' of the title are never mustered into an essential part of the story, not as sign language, nor as signals (e.g., the quilt outside the cabin in Pamela Duncan Edwards's Barefoot, p. 1736) that helped ``passengers'' of the Underground Railroad along the route. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563975556
• ISBN-13: 978-1563975554
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,969,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, August 23, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secret Signs: Along the Underground Railroad (Paperback)

This story is *very* exciting.

Deaf Luke knows his mother is involved with the Underground Railroad, and he knows it is dangerous for her. But when two slave trackers burst into their house and detain his mother, it is up to little Luke to travel to the market to give the signal and to pass along information about a new hiding place.

Really good weaving in of deaf sign language and the hidden signs for the escaped slaves.

My boys like this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exhilarating Adventure on the Underground Railroad, November 5, 2009

By 

Donna M. McDine - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secret Signs: Along the Underground Railroad (Hardcover)

The success of the Underground Railroad depended on many people. Children and adults placed themselves and families in harms way to ensure the safe passage of slaves to freedom. Code words were a main source of communication, but many don't realize secret signs were also instrumental in communicating.

Come along on this inspiring journey of a young deaf boy named Luke, who did not allow his disability thwart him in using his artistic abilities to show the way to safe houses and routes along the Underground Railroad.

The author and illustrator, Anita Riggio provides an adventurous story coupled with beautiful illustrations to bring this very important part of history alive.