Freedom Soup - a review

Freedom Soup

by Tami Charles
Jacqueline Alcántara
Candlewick, 2019

A young girl and her Haitian grandmother joyfully cook Freedom Soup in this story of Haiti's successful struggle to end slavery.

"Know why they call it Freedom Soup?" Ti Gran asks.
"Because it's free?"
It is the same answer that I always give. Ti Grans laughs her loud, belly-deep laugh.
"Oh, Belle. Nothing in this world is free, not even freedom."
She begins to tell a story, the same one she tells every year. A story of the place she was born: Haiti.

The illustrations, created with gouache, pencil, and marker, are alive with color, joy, music, and dance. Ti Gran wears a brightly colored yellow dress and matching headwrap, and Belle wears long cornrows and an apron to match her grandmother's dress. Both Belle and Ti Gran move expressively and dance while cooking and storytelling. The extended family that gathers to enjoy their traditional Freedom Soup on New Year's Day is large, happy, and celebratory.

The triumph of the historical revolution is not depicted with blood and misery, but rather with proud Haitians boldly marching to war with bare feet and makeshift weapons.

A Freedom Soup recipe and Author's Note round out this wonderful picture book suggested for Grades K-4.


My copy of Freedom Soup was provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Freedom in Congo Square - an audiobook review

Freedom in Congo Square
By Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Gregory Christie
Read by JD Jackson

Although I read the print book earlier, I recently reviewed the audio version of Freedom in Congo Square for AudioFile Magazine.

You can read my review of Freedom in Congo Square at AudioFile Magazine.

The following are some additional thoughts:


Freedom in Congo Square is a multiple award winning book, and the audio production with sound effects and music is flawless. However, the digital audiobook suffers without the accompanying picture book.  For full disclosure, I should mention that I've hosted the illustrator, Gregory Christie at my library and I am a huge fan, but the fact that he's a joyous and interesting person who wows children, is beside my main point. In the picture book version (for which he earned a Caldecott Honor), he captures the moods of each day so perfectly, and his transition from the torture of day-to-day chores to the joy of a music-filled Sunday afternoon at New Orleans' Congo Square captures a joy and resiliency of spirit missing in the audio version.  Although the narrator, JD Perkins, does a stellar reading, the accompanying music for the Sunday afternoon of freedom is rhythmic drumming with no hint of the tambourines, flutes, fiddles, and triangles mentioned in the foreword.

By all means, listen to the audiobook version, but have the picture book on hand as well!

You can still visit Congo Square!  It's located within New Orleans' Louis Armstrong Park. It is on our National Register of Historic Places.

Note:

I am slowly getting back up to speed following Hurricane Irma, which impacted almost every part of Florida. If you are a resident of hurricane impacted areas in Texas, Florida, Georgia, or Louisiana, please remember that your libraries may need your support, but they're also there to support you!  Libraries and everyday people are a combination that can weather any storm. 😊

If you want to help libraries in Florida and Texas, here's how:

• The Florida Library Association has set up a Florida Libraries Disaster Relief Fund at http://www.flalib.org/.
• Want to help Texas libraries recover from Hurricane Harvey?  Click Here for more details about the Texas Library Association Disaster Relief Fund.

A Fugitive in Walden Woods - a review

A Fugitive in Walden Woods
by Norman Lock
Bellevue Literary Press, 2017

A Fugitive in Walden Woods is historical fiction, a revisionist history featuring some of the greatest American minds of 1845. The book is part of The American Novels series.

At the cost of his shackled hand, the enslaved Samuel Long escapes via the Underground Railroad to relative freedom in Massachusetts. His benefactor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, gives him a job of sorts—monitoring the well-being of Emerson’s friend, Henry David Thoreau, who is in the midst of his famous sojourn in Walden Woods. In the occasional company of these men, Samuel becomes acquainted with Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, William Lloyd Garrison, and other Transcendentalists. A Fugitive in Walden Woods is Samuel Long’s memoir of his year in Walden Woods, written through the lens of his later experiences.

So thoroughly does Lock set the mood that it is impossible to tell which words of Thoreau, Emerson, and Hawthorne are ones actually spoken or ones created by Lock. Though these men pondered the great questions of their age (and our own), the insertion of Samuel into the story, forces a more practical rendering of their great ideals. 

Samuel writes,

"Emerson had asked me what it meant to be human. I should have told him that a person cannot be human if his life is perpetually in the grip of terror and uncertainty. Just as cities are built by people unafraid of marauding barbarians and the caprices of a hostile universe, so will we become human when we no longer live in fear for our lives."

A Fugitive in Walden Woods does not shrink from the difficult questions of our time, including racism. It succeeds in its goal of nudging us to become deeper thinkers.

"It is easy to misjudge others—a commonplace remark, but nonetheless true. We close our minds to the completeness of others, striking from the portraits we draw of them in our imaginations all contradiction."

Download a Reading Group Guide for A Fugitive in Walden Woods here.

My copy of A Fugitive in Walden Woods was provided by LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Monticello - a review

Monticello: A Daughter and Her Father; A Novel
by Sally Cabot Gunning
Harper Collins, 2016
ISBN 9780062320438

No one can ever recount with certainty the conversations and events that transpired within Thomas Jefferson's sphere of influence at his famous Virginia plantation, Monticello.  However, because of his status as, arguably, the most famous of the nation's founding fathers, the particulars of his business dealings, his ownership of enslaved people, and other financial matters are as well known today as they were in his own time.  Also well-documented are his periods of travel to/from Monticello and the important life events (births, deaths, marriages, etc.) of his legal family members.

Armed with this information, Sally Cabot Gunning has crafted a thoughtful piece of historical fiction that explores the relationships of Martha Jefferson, the former President's eldest child, with her father, her siblings, her large family through marriage, and the people enslaved by her family—particularly Sally Hemmings.

The story unfolds in three parts, arranged by date and the plantation at which Martha lived. It begins with the years 1789-1800, and her residence at the Varina planation with her husband Thomas Randolph, whom she married shortly after returning from France.

Martha had decried the decadence and filth of Paris to Tom Randolph, but in truth, there was something as decadent about Monticello, although in a different way—the slower pace of life, perhaps, or the way her father's French wines and more elaborate French furniture, just now beginning to arrive from France, seemed out of place.  And then Negroes.  They crept about in an unnerving, pantherlike silence that Martha hadn't noticed before she left for France.  What did they hear as they moved about? And why hadn't Martha ever before wondered about that?  Martha puzzled over what seemed such a great change, either in her or in life at Monticello, she truly didn't know which.  She asked Maria, pointing as Sallys' sister Critta whispered out of the room after stirring up the fire, "Were they always so quiet?"

(from page 20)

This finely crafted work of historical fiction gently forces the reader to view history through a variety of lenses, none of which are rose-colored. Wishing for an end to the family's dependence on slavery, Martha nevertheless becomes embroiled in a lifelong conflicted existence - constrained to the restrictions and social mores of a Virginia planter's wife and daughter of a President, which render her often helpless yet still complicit in her family's continued connection to enslaved people. The political upheavals of the new nation provides the backdrop of the story, but politics is not the story.  This is a story of a woman's struggle to be a good wife, to be a good mother, to honor her father, and to help shape his legacy.

Resources:

• Read a sample from Monticello here. [https://sample-e7f3c8d481f3c19fe1002e828f26dfee.read.overdrive.com/?p=monticello-4c3fbd] 

• Listen to an audio excerpt from Monticello here. [https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062471871/monticello#audio-player]

• Download the Monticello reading guide here. [https://b0f646cfbd7462424f7a-f9758a43fb7c33cc8adda0fd36101899.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/reading-guides/RG-9780062320438.pdf]

My copy of Monticello was an Advance Reader Copy supplied by the publisher.

Under a Painted Sky - an audiobook review

Under a Painted Sky, a debut YA novel set in 1849,, was recommended to me by an adult library customer who said his mother enjoyed it.  I was happy to receive an opportunity to review this unique historical fiction, adventure, romance novel for AudioFile Magazine.  A link to my review is below, as well as the official book trailer. The review contains an audio excerpt.  Enjoy.

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee.  Read by Emily Woo Zeller.
Tantor Audio, 2015.  10.25 hrs.

A link to my review for AudioFile Magazine:  http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/102637/

Who Was Harriet Beecher Stowe? a review

I have to admit that Who Was Harriet Beecher Stowe? is the first I've read in the Who Was ... ? series.  When I first began receiving them a year or so ago, I thought that kids would be turned off by the caricature cover art.  I was wrong.  They have been quite popular for biography assignments. One reason is because Grosset & Dunlap (Penguin) was smart enough to make them each about 100 pages long.  (Teachers, I do wish you would be less strict with page counts, particularly in nonfiction.  Kids miss out on a lot of great books because they're trying to reach that magic number.)

In any case, I am pleased to see that the latest entry into the Who Was? series is writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, best known for her book Uncle Tom's Cabin, or for being, as President Lincoln said,  "the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war."

Rau, Dana Meachen. 2015. Who Was Harriet Beecher Stowe? New York: Grosset & Dunlap.

The first chapter bears the title of the book, "Who Was Harriet Beecher Stowe?" and gives a very brief synopsis of her life and its impact on history.  Other chapters elaborate on her personal life and her book, Uncle Tom's Cabin.  Today's young readers should find it fascinating that in an age before telephones, radios, televisions and computers, the publication of this one book made Harriet Beecher Stowe a wealthy and well-known celebrity in the U.S. and Europe, and it helped bring about the end of slavery by changing public opinion.

The book is illustrated with black and white drawings, and also contains several double-spread illustrations featuring background information that is necessary to gain an understanding of the era. These inset illustrations explain The Famous Beecher Family, The Underground Railroad, The Congregational Church, and Frederick Douglass.

The story of Harriet Beecher Stowe is a perfect illustration of the power of the pen. Hopefully, it will inspire young readers to seek out a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin in the future.

Rounding out the book are time lines and a bibliography.

Who Was Harriet Beecher Stowe? will be on a shelf near you on 4/21/15. My copy was provided by the publisher.

Following on the heels of the Who Was... series' popularity, there is a  What Was ... series and now, a Where Is... series.  Details on all three series may be found on the publisher's site.

Learn more about Harriet Beecher Stowe at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center.  If you've never read Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, there are numerous free copies available in various formats from Project Gutenberg.

Today is Nonfiction Monday.  Stop over to see all of today's reviews.

Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship - a review

Freedman, Russell. 2012. Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The date is August 10, 1863. Frederick Douglass has arrived at the White House, taking a seat on the stairs, determined to speak with President Lincoln.  Many others are waiting as well.  Douglass stands out in the crowd, not just for his size.  All the other petitioners are White.  Douglass, a freed Black is an outspoken critic of Lincoln.  The two men have never met.  Douglass has no appointment.  He is prepared to wait.

He does not wait long, however.  The President does see Frederick Douglass on August 10, 1863; and in Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship, award-winning author, Russell Freedman tells us why.

Freedman is a master writer, and ingeniously sets up this story of friendship. Chapter One, "Waiting for Mr. Lincoln," sets the stage.  The next three chapters detail the life of Frederick Douglass before his meeting with Lincoln.  Three subsequent chapters do the same for the President.  The final three chapters highlight the collaboration of the two men in pursuit of their mutual interest, abolition.

The extensive use of period photographs and artwork, as well as images of period realia (election poster, paycheck, editorial cartoons and the like) add interest to an already compelling story.  The depth of Lincoln's regard for Douglass is cemented by the revelation that Mary Todd Lincoln sent Douglass a memento after Lincoln's death, knowing that Lincoln had "wanted to do something to express his warm personal regard" for Douglass.

Appendix: Dialogue Between a Master and Slave, Historic Sites, Selected Bibliography, Notes (on the sources of more than one hundred quotes) and Picture Credits (including many from the Newbery Medal-winning Russell Freedman book, Lincoln: A Photobiography) round out this extensively researched book.

The Contents page indicates an Index beginning on page 115, however, it was apparently not completed in time for the printing of the Advance Reading Copies.

Abraham Lincoln & Frederick Douglas is suggested for Grades 4-7, and is due on shelves June 19, 2012.  It is a fascinating look at two of the most influential men of their time by one of the great children's authors of our time.  Highly recommended.

Today's Nonfiction Monday roundup is at True Tales with a Cherry on Top.  Next week's roundup will be right here at Shelf-employed.

Forge

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2010. Forge. Read by Tim Cain. Brilliance Audio.
(This is the second book in a series with began with the award-winning Chains.)

forge - noun
1. A furnace or hearth where metals are heated or wrought; a smithy.
2. A workshop where pig iron is transformed into wrought iron.

forge - verb
1.To form by heating in a forge and beating or hammering into shape.
2. To give form or shape to, especially by means of careful effort
3. To fashion or reproduce for fraudulent purposes; counterfeit

Forge - noun
1. a valley, Valley Forge

Forge, the historical fiction novel by Laurie Halse Anderson is all of these things.  Ostensibly the story of the brutal winter of 1777-1778 suffered by patriot soldiers at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Forge is also the story of the forging of a nation.  And while the nation forges ahead toward freedom, it forges not only weaponry and tools of war, but also tools of bondage against fellow men.  And while some may forge lies and deception, the harsh Valley Forge winter is itself a forge, forging a united army of determined men (and women) who cannot be disuaded from the path to freedom.

The story begins where Chains left off.  Runaway slaves Isabel and Curzon escape from New York, Isabel from household servitude, Curzon from a British prison.  They travel together, forging a wary companionship, but Isabel - stubborn and defiant, is insistent on following her sister who was sold South.  The more thoughtful and deliberative Curzon believes that North, towards Albany is the safest route.  They part ways and Curzon survives many dangerous situations, eventually ending up with a Massachusetts Regiment at Valley Forge. The horrific conditions of the starving, freezing, over-worked, poorly clothed men at Valley Forge are better, however, than the life to which Curzon is forcibly and unfairly returned. He is warm, well-fed, and well-dressed, but he is no longer free. Eventually, he reunites with the "pigheaded" Isabel and they forge a true alliance, no longer allied by chance, but by choice.

Told in chronological fashion, each chapter beginning with a period quote relevant to the story, Forge is a perfect mix of moving historical fiction and fast-paced adventure with intrigue. Laurie Halse Anderson is in the midst of writing a YA book.  If it's not the conclusion, I hope she gets back to Curzon and Isabel soon!

Tim Cain's voice has a youthful sound and a lively spirit. His is a believable Curzon. He reads Curzon's speech with the measured tones of a young man who must carefully weigh every word that he speaks.  Any mistake can cause danger, even death.  The voices of every soldier and officer have a distinct, though not dramatically different tone.  Even the voice of Isabel is plausible.  A young woman of her stubbornness and determination might be assumed to have a strong manner of speaking. An excellent performance.  I enjoyed Forge even more than its predecessor, Chains.

Read a few pages of the print copy of Forge here.
A reading group guide for Forge is available from Simon & Schuster.
Enjoy this interview with author Laurie Halse Anderson.


Another review @ AudioFile

Real Pirates

Clifford, Barry. 2008. Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship.Washington, DC: National Geographic.

(This is not a new book, but it's a great fit if your library is participating in this summer's water-themed summer reading program, Make a Splash @ Your Library.)

A thoroughly investigated re-creation of a doomed ship's final journey. From its beginnings as a slave ship plying the lucrative trade route from Europe to Africa to the New World, to its capture by famed pirate, Sam Bellamy, to its sinking along the Cape Cod coastline, Barry Clifford tells the riveting true story of The Whydah's last voyage. Reinforced with photographed artifacts from the ship, painted illustrations, and replicas of period charts and drawings, the story of The Whydah is enhanced by the secondary story of how the persistent Barry Clifford unearthed the sunken vessel's secrets.


Small print and numerous illustrations are employed to tell the story in short titled sections, "Flying the Jolly Roger," The Storm at Sea," etc. Particularly interesting is "The Articles,"

"Even though the pirates were criminals, they insisted that the Articles be strictly obeyed."

One such article from "Ye Articles of ye Gentlemen of Fortune,"

Any Man who Strikes or Abuses another of Company shall suffer such Punishement as ye Company shall deeme ffit & Just. Every Man's Quarrel to be settled a shoar with Sword & Pistol & be Adjudged Fair Fighy by ye Quarter-Master.

(from Captain Charles Johnson's A General History of the Pyrates, 1724)

Index, suggested reading, references and websites complete the book.For older readers interested in pirate lore or shipwrecks. Fascinating!

And be sure to check out the Wydah Exhibit, headed soon to St. Louis, MO.
Today's Non-Fiction Monday is at Check It Out. Check it out!
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Chains

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2008. Chains. Narrated by Madison Leigh. Brilliance Audio.

(Running time: about 7.5 hours)

This highly-acclaimed novel by award winning author, Laurie Halse Anderson, is an interesting juxtaposition of America's fight for independence and freedom from British rule, against its simultaneous enslavement of African people. While this obvious contradiction may have gone unnoticed by American colonists, it becomes a harsh and perplexing reality for Isabelle, a young slave girl faced with a never-ending stream of tribulations.

Stolen out of freedom, she and her sister are sold to a loyalist New York couple during the start of the Revolutionary War. At first struggling to choose sides, loyalist or patriot, Isabelle comes to the conclusion that her fate is not tied to that of the Revolution. Her chains are not the chains of America.

Although the plot is sometimes contrived, Madison's Leigh's reading of Chains is compelling, and at times moving, to the point of tears. An excellent and fast-paced historical fiction novel, suitable for middle-schoolers.

Chains was chosen as a 2008 National Book Award finalist for Young People's Literature.

Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me

Grifalconi, Ann. 2007. Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 13 9780786818570.

PLOT SUMMARY
In Ain’t Nobody a Stranger to Me, loosely based on historical persons, a Grandfather shares with his young granddaughter his tale of escape from Southern slavery with his wife and baby. He recalls the helpfulness of strangers on the Underground Railroad, including Quaker James Stanton. His sense of gratitude has shaped his belief that “ain’t nobody a stranger.” The story appears to be set in the 1930s.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me is a story of fortitude, gratitude, forgiveness, and a spirit of optimism. As a slave, Gran'pa collected apple seeds in hope of a day that he might be free to plant them on his own land as a free man. He tells of his flight to freedom and the generosity of strangers. Grifalconi tells this story in a manner appropriate to introduce this heartbreaking topic to young children. The text expresses Gran'pa's belief in the goodness of mankind and his faith in God. "We had to put our trust in the Good Lord. We'd set our hearts right, and along the way help came when we needed it."

The darker aspects of slavery and the dangers of the Underground Railroad are expressed not in words, but in Jerry Pinkney's line and watercolor paintings. The harrowing escape of Gran'pa his wife and baby, and their subsequent struggle to survive as free people are depicted in sepia tones of browns and greys, evoking dark moments of the past. The expressive eyes of the grandfather and his wife in these scenes are alternately fearful, wary, and weary.

In contrast, the scenes of Gran'pa with his granddaughter are joyful colors and expressions of tenderness and love. In a colorful and heartwarming ending, Gran'pa and the young girl eat apples in the orchard he planted as a freed man. The apple blossoms are a riot of cheerful pink, and the young girl plants a new seed and promises to remember.

Grifalconi's story is a solid, age-appropriate (5-9) introduction to the Underground Railroad, however her choice of story delivery is awkward at times. Grandfather's story is told within the confines of the girl's first person account, and the girl often speaks in language styles that are conflicting or unusual for a young girl (Black or White) in the 1930s or any time period. In quoted passages, she speaks in a voice more typical of a Black child from the South in the 1930s. "They be from our stone cellar, Grandpa?" and "...could I one day plant me a seed of memory here, too?" In other passages, she speaks as an educated adult, "He grinned happily down at me" and "Soon, the spring air began to carry the fresh, sweet smell of apple blossoms to us." The frequent switching of dialect and narrator may be confusing to readers.

Jerry Pinkey's credentials as an African American illustrator are numerous and impressive. The jacket notes that he has "illustrated more than one hundred books for children" and is the recipient of Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Awards, and more. His artwork for this story sets the period (a horse-drawn ice wagon, long-skirted women with hats and boots) and sets the tone (the darkness of hiding, the green grass of freedom).

Kirkus Rewiews refers to an "author's note" explaining the attribution of the title phrase, "Ain't Nobody a Stranger to Me." The book, however, does not contain any author's notes. The dust jacket only explains that the phrase was inspired by former slave, Orleans Finger.

Overall, this book can be recommended on the basis of Pinkney's expressive artwork and Grifalconi's presentation of a difficult picture book topic.


CONNECTIONS
This is a picture book that can be used to introduce older students (3rd and 4th grades) to the Underground Railroad experience. A follow-up to the story can be an exploration of the excellent National Geographic site that allows for a guided, interactive journey from slavery to freedom on the Underground Railroad. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/

Pair this book with Caldecott Honor Book, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, by Carole Boston Weatherfield, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Underground

Ferris, Jean. 2007. Underground. Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.

Underground is the story of slaves that, through varying paths, find themselves working at the Mammoth Cave Hotel in 1839. The hotel houses visitors stopping to see Kentucky’s natural wonder, Mammoth Cave.

Life for Charlotte and the other slaves is comparatively good at Mammoth Cave Hotel, but Charlotte knows of a worse life as a slave in the Deep South. Stephen is content with his limited autonomy as an underground guide. Brothers, Nick and Mat, are thankful for regular meals and little trouble from their master. Mittie, the elder slave of the group, is quiet and serious and keeps her opinions to herself.

Thh slaves' lives are changed when a “runner” from the south appears on the hotel property. Now Charlotte must make a choice about the "underground," both literally and figuratively, that will affect them all, as Mammoth Cave and the Underground Railroad become entwined.

Although Mammoth Caves was not likely a stop on the Underground Railroad, most of the characters in this story were real persons. Charlotte and Stephen’s names are still scratched or smoked onto the walls of the caves. An Author’s Note explains which occurrences in the story actually happened. Ferris also reveals the fates of the four young slaves.

Historical fiction fans should enjoy this book. It is cataloged as a YA book, but seems more appropriate as J Fic. Discussions of the slaves' parentage may have prompted the YA label. Several brief references are made to masters fathering children with unwilling slaves.

Elijah of Buxton

I have not yet read this year’s Newbery Medal winner, Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! but it must be a phenomenal book to have beaten Christopher Paul Curtis’, Elijah of Buxton. There are certainly enough superlatives about this book already circulating. I will only add an observation. Curtis’ knack for distilling the wisdom of ages and the lessons of life into a formula for young readers is simply superb! Reading Elijah’s experiences and his estimation of them is like returning to childhood, with all its innocence and honesty. The lessons learned in Elijah of Buxton will stick with the reader for a lifetime. As in The Watsons Go to Birmingham, the more horrific parts of history play a peripheral role to that of the central characters, creating books that are as entertaining as they are educating. Elijah is a winning, likable and believable character. This book had me laughing out loud, as well as crying.