Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Weatherford, Carole Boston
Nelson, Kadir
Hyperion Books For Children 2006
Realistic Fiction
Moses Tells the story of the life of Harriet Tubman. Before the story begins, the author defines slavery and details it's brutality. The book begins with Harriet Tubman desperately wants to flee slavery because her cruel master wants to sell her south which would be far away from her family. She is afraid but God gives her the strength to carry out her escape and promises to protect her. Harriet escapes at dusk and sings a cryptic message to her family so they will no where she went. Harriet goes to a woman who had been kind to her for help. The woman told her places where she could hide and be safe. While at one of the safe havens, the broom Harriet is using turns into a staff then a riffle. then god tells her that he will arm her against her enemies and that she will not harm any one and no one will harm her. A farmer hides her in his wagon and a boat man carries her up river. Harriet endured many hardships through her journey. she had to wade through the river to avoid hounds that were looking for her and walk barefoot. her feet were cut and bleeding and she was very hungry but she kept on with God's encouragement. She said that she would rather die that return to slavery. Next, Harriet had to hide in a potato hole for seven long days to avoid those patrolling for runaway slaves. After leaving the potato hole, Harriet walks until she is exhausted. At that time, a wagon pulls up and the couple inside tell her that they believe that slavery is a sin and they take her to freedom in Philadelphia. Once in Philadelphia, Harriet deeply misses her family who are still in the bonds of slavery. God tells her to go to church and prepare to go on a journey to free her family. At church she finds a station in the underground railroad. there she helps feed and cloth runaway slaves while learning the routes four the underground railroad. Harriet becomes a conductor and God tells her she is ready to free her family. Harriet is able to free her family and many other slaves and lead them to Canada. The Author's note gives a more detailed account of Harriet's life. The author tells that Harriet Tubman was born a slave around the 1820's on a Bucktown Maryland plantation. Her birth name was Araminta and she was nick named Minty. She was a nanny to a baby but was beat when the baby cried for any reason. Harriet despised slaver and rebelled. she even hid in a pigpen to avoid being whipped but she was found. she tried to help a slave escape but struck in the heat with a two pound weight and was almost killed. She suffered Blackouts, headaches, and bouts of speechlessness for the rest of her life as a result. Harriet was forced to marry John Tubman in 1844. She decided to flee in 1849 when when her master died which meant she would be sold. Harriet fled using the underground rail road. After she escaped she helped her brothers to freedom in 1851 and carried her parents to Canada. She made nineteen trips to the south by 1860 and freed at least three hundred slaves

Harriet's story is very inspirational. This book would be a very good tool to use to teach young readers about the plight of slaves and about the Underground Railroad. Although, I am not sure if I would be able to read this book in the classroom because of its heavy religious content. Furthermore, I think that the layout of the book could be confusing for children. The book leaves many unanswered questions until the author's note is read. I think the book would be stronger if more detail about Harriet's life were given in the book as apposed to being given in the authors note which would be read last.

The illustrations are quite impressive. There is no information about how the double page illustrations were made but they appear to have been drawn with colored pencils. the illustrations are very detailed and the expressions on Harriet's face really help the reader understand her situation. Also, the dark tents and shading on the pages where Harriet is scared, confused, or in danger help the reader understand the gravity of her situation. Likewise, the illustrations during times of hope and freedom are light and bright. The illustrations really aided the author in explaining the story because the text leaves so many holes. The book would have a hard time telling it's story without the illustrations.