The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad

Nonfiction

Adler, David. A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman. Holiday House, 1992. Tells the story of Harriet Tubman, born a slave, who later became an important figure in the Underground Railroad.

Blue, Rose, and Naden, Corinne J. Harriet Tubman: Riding the Freedom Train. Millbrook Press, 2003.

Biography of the well known American slave turned Freedom fighter Harriet Tubman. Includes much information about the Underground Railroad.

Rappaport, Doreen. FreedomRiver. Hyperion, 2000.

Describes an incident in the life of John Parker (a real person), an ex-slave who became a successful businessman in Ohio, who repeatedly risked his life to help other slaves escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad.

Sadlier, Rosemary. The Kids Book of Black Canadian History. Kids Can Press Ltd. 2003. This book gives a recount of black Canadian History.

Fiction

Ayures, Katherine. Stealing South: A Story of the Underground Railroad. Delacorte Press, 2001.

Will Spencer’s family has always helped black slaves as they pass through town. Now Will finds himself helping someone as he leaves his home and heads out to make his own life. Interesting depiction of the quandary in which Will finds himself as he questions the laws that state that stealing a slave is as bad as robbing a house.

Hopkinson, Deborah. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt (1993)

Clara is a slave who risks her life by stitching a map of the underground railroad on a quilt and thereby aids the escape of many slaves.

Schwartz, VirginiaFrances. If I Just Had Two Wings (2001)

Underground railroad; excellent notes detailing research author did to write the novel.

Winter, Jeanette. Follow the Drinking Gourd (1992)

A picture book about the escape of a family from slavery by following the directions in a song, "The Drinking Gourd," taught them by an old sailor named Peg Leg Joe, runaway slaves journey north along the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada.

Woodruff, Elvira. Dear Austin: Letters From the Underground Railroad. Alfred A. Knopf, 1998.

Easy to read story in letter format tells about two 11 year old friends who set out on a dangerous journey to find and rescue little sister Darcy from slave traders.

Smucker, Barabara. Underground to Canada. Puffin, 1977.

This is a story about a young girl and her escape into Canada.

(Modified resource list originally compiled by Brenda Sproule of EIPS)