Picture Book 20: Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Genre: Picture Book

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Themes: courage, faith, genorosity

Characters:

~Primary: Harriet Tubman

~Secondary: slaves, abolitionists, slave owners

Awards:

~Caldecott Honor Book

~ALA Notable Children’s Book Award

~Coretta Scott King Award

Date of Publication: 2006

Publication Company: Hyperion

Summary: This poetic account of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and the role that faith played in the journey.  It also explores Tubman's passion for fighting slavery, and her commitment to helping end slavery wherever it occurred.  This commitment led her to return to the South and try to lead as many slaves as she could to freedom.

Recommendation: The call and response in this book is very soothing.  In addition, Carole Weatherford is able to take a very difficult subject and present it in a way that can be used with all age groups.  This would be a good book to use in a unit on the Underground Railroad or on women in history.