Sojourner Truth

Children's Literature

Some stories are hard to share with children. The story of slavery is one of those. To understand what happened, to understand the effect slavery had on its victims, their owners, and the society in which they lived means understanding the personal stories of the people involved. This is such a story, simply told, intelligent, and well illustrated. Sojourner Truth was born a slave in the late eighteenth century. She was illiterate and poor, but she had an extraordinary intelligence and a powerfully direct approach to life. She is famous as the first black woman to win a lawsuit against a white man in the United States. She played a significant role in the fight against slavery. She was an early and effective supporter of women's suffrage. But those achievements, as important as they are, fail to capture the real significance of this strange and wonderful woman. What seems remarkable about her—almost miraculous by modern standards—is the depth of her character. Her life is a lesson for all of us. Part of the "Let Freedom Ring" series. 2002, Bridgestone Books,
— Michael Chabin

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-These high-interest/low-reading-level titles provide basic biographical information within a historical context. The format consists of short sentences with plenty of white space and black-and-white and color illustrations. Also included are sidebars, some of which are on a somewhat higher reading level, with more complex ideas than the main texts. Each book has a time line of dates from the life of the subject and of historical events. While the writing is rather bland, the courageous lives of both subjects, who bravely shaped their own futures and the lives of many others, make exciting reading. There are many books available on Tubman and Truth, but these titles will be useful additions for reports, and also for browsing.-Marlene Gawron, Orange County Library, Orlando, FL Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.