Underground Railroad Annotated Bibliography
Ø Picture Books
1. Ringgold, F. (1993). Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House. Scholastic: New York.
This book is excellent in that it introduces children not only to Harriet Tubman, but it also exposes them to other prominent and unknown African American leaders. It gives students a good perspective into how African Americans have influences American culture.
2. Adler, D. (1992). A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman. Holiday House: New York.
This is a colorful picture book about the young days of Harriet Tubman; it begins with her as a child and ends with the abolishment of slavery. It is a great book for younger children. A child would be able to relate to the child in the story (Harriet Tubman) and a connection between them would help the reader internalize the subject matter.
Ø Multicultural Books
3. Clark, M. (1980). Freedom Crossing. Scholastic: New York.
The young character Laura is sent to live with her father in Virginia, she learns that he is helping slaves escape. Her house is a stop on the Underground Railroad. She befriends a young slave girl that would rather die than be returned to the South.
4. Levine, E., & R. Williams. (1988). If You Traveled the Underground Railroad. Scholastic: New York.
This book details the images and people living and dying as slaves in the South. It chronicles their travel on the Underground Railroad and the struggle they faces as free men.
5. Haskins, J. (1993). Get on Board. Scholastic: New York.
From the first blacks brought in this country in chains, slaves came up with ingenious ways to escape to freedom. During their long perilous journeys, most would not have survived without the Underground Railroad.
6. Benson, K., & Haskins, J. (2002). Following Freedom’s Star The Story of the Underground Railroad. Marshall Cavendish Corporation: New York.
This book introduces the Underground Railroad first with the biography of Harriet Tubman, then the journey many had to endure to survive traveling by night with other slaves. It is an insightful tale of courage and freedom.
Ø Poetry
7. Winter, J. (1998). Follow the Drinking Gourd. The Trumpet Club: New York.
Follow the Drinking Gourd is a great way to introduce students to stories of the Underground Railroad that are unfamiliar. This also helps to pass along oral traditions that have been written down.
Ø Traditional Fantasy
8. Hopkinson, D. (2000). Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Scholastic: New York.
This book allows children to see the important role played by children in the success of the Underground Railroad. Clara made a major impact on the safety and triumph of travelers on the Underground Railroad.
9. Connelly B. (1997). Follow the Drinking Gourd. Simon and
Schuster: New York.
This book gives yet another retelling of the traditional fantasy. It shows children how book have many versions.
Ø Modern Fantasy
10. Ringgold, F. (1992). Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky. Scholastic: New York.
This book was one of our favorites and inspired much of our project. It is a whimsical look at the Underground Railroad through the eyes of children. They are able to explore this path to freedom through imagination.
11. Monjo, A. (1970). The Drinking Gourd. Fitzhenry and Whiteside Limited:
New York.
This book tells the story from the point of view of a small farm owner’s son who discovers runaway slaves in his barn. The story is easy to follow and the reader can relate to the complex subject matter.
Ø Contemporary Realistic Fiction
12. Carbone, E. (1998). Stealing Freedom. Random House: New York.
This is the story of slave and freedom in the life of character Ann Marie Weems and her family. She is just 12 years old and is living with other slaves on a farm. She desires to steal back her freedom with her family on the Underground Railroad.
13. Beatty, P. (1992). Who Comes with Cannons. Scholastic: New York.
This the story of a 12year old girl, a Quaker living in North Carolina, struggling with the Civil War and her cousins heading off to war. This book identifies the pain and loss felt by all of those opposed to slavery and the war.
14. Houston, G. (1998). Bright Freedom’s Song. Scholastic: New York.
This book is a story of a small plantation owner’s daughter and her coming to term with her belief of slaver after becoming friend with a slave her father owns. She helps them escape and assists many others on the Underground Railroad.
Ø Historical Fiction
15. Rinaldi, A. (2002). Numbering All the Bones. Scholastic: New York.
A young slave girl is offered the chance to escape on the Underground Railroad. She is no longer a prisoner in her own world. She must take care of some business first, after all she will not be returning.
16. Lilly, C. (1979). Runaway to Freedom. Scholastic: New York.
The escape from Mississippi to Canada by two fictitious characters Julilly and Liza could have happened. It is based on first-hand experiences found in the narratives of fugitive slaves, on a careful study of the Underground Railroad.
17. Burke, H., & D. Croy. (2001). The River Jordan. Watershed Books: Ohio.
With a blending of fiction and fact it brings to the public a daring tale of an enslaved family’s Underground Railroad-assisted escape from western Virginia.
18. Pinkney, J., & A. Schroeder, (1996). Minty. Dial Books: New York.
This is the story of Harriet Tubman as a child and her rise to be the conductor on the Underground Railroad. It details her young life and the family she loved and lost.
19. Pinkney, A. (1999). Silent Thunder: A Civil War Story. Scholastic: New York.
This book is about the silent dreams of a slave living on the plantation of their master and the dreams that become reality through the Underground Railroad.
20. Kulling, M. (2000). Escape North! Random House: New York.
This is a Step into Reading Book; it has larger print for younger children and good pictures to accompany the story. It entails the journey of Harriet helping slaves by the light of the North Star.
Ø Informational
21. Bolotin, N. (1998). Civil War A-Z. Scholastic: New York.
This book provides personality sketches and career briefs. It also gives an explanation of the Civil War and other significant battles. It introduces children to politicians and writers, the abolitionists and political parties. A compact volume in the history of America
22. Kallen, S. (2000). Life on the Underground Railroad. Lucent Books: California.
This is a series book; The Way We Live covers the human culture. Using a variety of primary quotations, the book attempts to show an honest and complete picture of a culture removed from our own by time or space.
23. Stefoff, R. (2002). The Civil War 1861-1863 Dutton Children’s Books: New York.
This handy reference book contains more than 130 vivid entries about the
most important people, places, issues, and events of the Civil War.
Organized alphabetically, each cogent entry is a self-contained and combines fascinating details with a general orientation to the war and to the mid-Nineteenth-century.
24. Matsick, A., & K. Moore. (1994). If You Lived in the Time of Civil War. Scholastic: New York.
This informational book gives students background into the necessity of the Underground Railroad. It provides information not only on the Underground Railroad but also on the Civil War and life in general during the 1860’s.
26. Segal, J. (1997). The Civil War Almanac. RGA Publishing: California.
The Civil War Almanac brings to life the excitement and devastation of the pivotal War between States.
27. Heinrichs, A. (2001). We the People, The Underground Railroad. Compass Point Books: Minneapolis.
In this book, discover what life was like foe slaves escaping to freedom in the North. Learn how slaves found out about the trails to follow and how people helped them on their way. Travel with the slaves as the head North to freedom.
Ø Biography
28. Smith, K. (1988). Harriet Tubman. Ottenheimer: New Jersey.
This biography tells the fascinating life story of one of America’s most famous slavery abolitionists, Harriet Tubman. The straightforward text makes this book an exciting read for all ages.
29. Ferris, J. (1998). Walking the Road to Freedom. Carolrhoda Books: New York.
This book details the life of Sojourner Truth, a slave and a freedom fighter. She struggles to reunite with her family and the freeing of other slaves.
30. Brindell Fradin, D. (2000). Bound for the North Star. Clarion Books: New York.
This is a colorful true story of fugitive slave living and watching their loved ones die in slavery. Their nights traveling in the dark woods on the Underground Railroad were detailed in the wonderful and insightful book.
31. Henry, F. (1955). Harriet Tubman. Whiteside Limited: Toronto.
This book in dedicated to the memory of Harriet Tubman. With rare courage she led 300 Negros up from slavery to freedom, and rendered invaluable service as a nurse and spy. She braved danger and every obstacle in spite of the consequences if caught.
32. Roberts, R. (2000). Lincoln and the Abolition of Slavery. Lucent Books: San Diego.
This book offers young readers insight to the triumphs and tragedies of war by examining the most fascinating aspect of each of America’s wars. It documents the life and death of several important aspect of the Civil War.
33. Alcorn, S. (2000). Let it Shine. Illustrations: New York.
This is an inspirational book covering several courageous women living before and after the Civil War. It tells their story in connection with the freedom we share today.
34. McGovern, A. (1965). Wanted Dead or Alive: The True Story of Harriet Tubman. Scholastic: New York.
This is the story of Harriet Tubman and how she led hundreds of slaves to freedom on the secret Underground Railroad. It is arranged as a personal journal by Harriet Tubman.