The Underground Railroad

Children's Literature

The Underground Railroad, which helped tens of thousands of slaves escape from the southern states to freedom in the north between 1830 and 1860, was not a real railroad with train cars and railroad tracks. Instead, it was a secret network of people who helped hide slaves along escape routes northward. A useful introduction to a critical part of U.S. history, the book presents brief biographical sketches of key figures in the railroad, including Harriet Tubman and Quakers Levi Coffin and Thomas Garrett. A timeline and glossary are included, along with suggested references for further reading. Vintage photographs and drawings add depth to the spare text. The book is part of the "We the People" series, which highlights key events in U.S. history in a 48-page format. 2001, Compass Point Books, $21.26. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Valerie O. Patterson

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Short chapters, succinct text, large print, and well-chosen illustrations make this book a good starting point for young readers embarking on a study of the topic. The opening chapter cites the cryptic lyrics to the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd," full of hidden signals guiding slaves to freedom. Subsequent chapters explain the secretive and "trackless" network, its railroad euphemisms, and its inherent dangers. Heinrichs traces the origins of the slave trade in North America and its spread throughout the cotton-producing states, where it generated enormous profits and became the basis for the South's economy. There are brief profiles of courageous abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass, as well as active "conductors" such as Thomas Garrett, Harriet Tubman, and Levi Coffin. The diverse illustrations include vintage photographs, engravings depicting slave life, and documents of the slave trade, all of which illuminate the human tragedy. An excellent map points out the major routes that slaves followed.-William McLoughlin, Brookside School, Worthington, OH Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.