Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "BEFORE I WAS EVEN TWELVE YEARS OLD, I got sent from North Farm to Home Plantation 'cause needed another field hand..." (more)
Key Phrases: Aunt Rachel, Big House, Young Jack (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A courageous slave girl plays an unusual part in the Underground Railroad; in a starred review, PW said, "This first-rate book is a triumph of the heart." Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Clara, a young slave, works as a seamstress and dreams of freedom. Overhearing drovers talk of escaping North enables her to make a patchwork map of the area. When she escapes, she leaves the quilt behind to guide others. Based on a true event, this is a well-written picture book. Ransome's oil paintings, however, are perhaps too smooth and rich for the story they tell. The world depicted is too bright, open, and clean. For example, in the first scene Clara has been put to work in the cotton fields. Supposedly too frail to last long at such work, she is pictured as a slim, serious, yet sturdy girl. The bright yellow sky and the charming smile of the boy with her belie the realities of the back-breaking work. In another scene, young Jack, who has been brought back the day before from running away, looks solemn, but not distressed, and is wearing what appears to be a freshly ironed white shirt. Again, the image distances viewers from the realities of the situation. Clara's escape to Canada, too, is marvelously easy, although she does say, "But not all are as lucky as we were, and most never can come." It is not easy to present the horrors of slavery to young children; thus, even though Ransome's illustrations, and to some extent the text, err on the side of caution, this is an inspiring story worth inclusion in most collections. --Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Dragonfly Books (July 10, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679874720
• ISBN-13: 978-0679874720
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #115,213 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkins, April 8, 2001

By	Stacy Shinovich (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This story is told through the eyes of a young slave named Clara. Clara was taken from her mama, so when she arrives at the new plantation a woman named Rachel befriends her. Aunt Rachel, as she becomes known, notices that Clara is not enjoying working in the cotton fields. Aunt Rachel teaches Clara how to sew and Clara eventually starts working in the Big House. While working in the Big House she pays close atttention to the others as they talk and describe the areas around the plantation. Clara secretly goes every night and works on the quilt made of the scraps from the Big House. Clara makes a beautiful quilt in hopes that it will help her and others escape to freedom. Read more to find out what happens to Clara and the others. The illustrations in this story showed how the people of that time period looked, dressed, and worked. Ransome's illustrations enhanced Hopkins' delightful story of Clara and the quilt. The author and illustrator accurately portray specific cultures and customs of the ethnic situation. Overall, this was a delightful story to add to any classroom discussion on the topic of freedom and slaves.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sweet clara and the freedom quilt, March 22, 2002

By	Jo Vasquez (Sierra Vista, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews

I have read and reread Hidden in Plain View and Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt and I have learned more than I ever knew about the slaves and the underground railroad. It is a shame that such great and informative books are not better known. I am 65 years old; I read a lot and I am a quilter.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic for reading aloud, March 7, 2005

By	J. Stout (Portsmouth, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Deborah Hopkinson's use of dialogue in this story is what really recommends it to be read aloud. The characters come through the story so well through their words. They usually don't come right out and SAY anything, but instead communicate vital information in a round-about sort of way. They pretend not to have a care in the world, all the while desperately plotting against their captors.

This is book would be a great tool for opening up a discussion about why people say one thing when they really mean something else entirely. Also, this book is great for discussing ways of "escaping" authority and subverting roles of apparent compliance.
Sweet Clara deserves a place on the bookshelves of young revolutionaries worldwide.