What kind of book Genre do you like?

Sunday 8 May 2011

Underground to Canada

Underground to Canada
By: Barbara Smucker
Age: Grade 5-7
Rating: 6.5/10
This is a great book when introducing slavery to children. This book looks at the life of a girl who is a slave and how she attempts to escape. The story goes into the secret route that was taken from the US to Canada, and talks about how the slaves were treated while working. This is a great novel to introduce to students who are into history, but more specifically discussing how slaves were treated, creating an empathetic view for the reader. I would suggest reading this book, not only for the history, but also for the insights of a young girl who is a slave. And yes, the book ends with a happy ending! (it is a kids book after all).
If you enjoyed this post, disagree with it or have a book to suggest, feel free to write a comment!

49 comments:

  1. I read this is grade 6 English class, still sticks in my mind to this day

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  2. I never heard about this book when I was in middle school, but it looks like an insightful book on the views of slavery!

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  3. We don't have any idea how horrible slavery was, books like this one are important to remind

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  4. Its great that the book can be academically unpacked in so many ways across multiple subjects. This is the sort of book that encourages team teaching and content crossover between subjects. Nice find!

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  5. interesting, happy endings are best

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  6. I remember reading a similar book on that same topic. Its really good.

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  7. Interesting stuff man! Might read this book later. Definitely a good read.

    Will follow for more :)

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  8. The rating seems kinda low. What were the downsides aside from it being aimed at children?

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  9. seems like a good book, but i think slavery is an issue to adult for 5th to 7th graders

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  10. I remember reading this one back in school. Good book.

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  11. Another great review. I decided to give you a Sunshine Award. http://astropirate.blogspot.com/2011/05/sunshine-award.html

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  12. I read this book before, it is indeed good

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  13. Never read it, will check it out maybe it'll spark my interest

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  14. thank goodness it has a happy ending :3

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  15. never heard of it, looks interesting

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  16. ive never heard of this book but id like to give it a read !

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  17. Awesome post man! Keep blogging cause this is great!

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  18. I read that when I was 12.

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  19. I feel I'm possibly to old to read this, and child slavery makes me feel sick anyway.

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  20. Cool, gonna have to give it a read some time! ;D

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  21. Gosh, when I was 12 I was reading tom sawyer, even tough I lived in Brazil. But it looks good, sometimes it's good to traumatize kids, even more these days.

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  22. sounds like it addresses some very sensitive themes, good review.

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  23. I can't read this now, it will probably make me depressed

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  24. Sounds like an interesting read if you were the target audience of course.

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  25. never read it but would like to check it out :)

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  26. I've read this book!! and it's great ;p

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  27. i dont think i was introduced to slavery till a bit later in school.

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  28. I hate happy endings... Why does the evil people who try to take over the world never succeed? They blow my hopes away for conquering the world...

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  29. looks like something i should make my girlfriends kids read. she's probably allowing her daughter to read jenna jameson's memoirs right now. i'm gonna change that.
    +followed

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  30. Im gonna check it out for sure!

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  31. I remember reading this one. Along w/ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, it's one of the best slave narratives for younger readers.

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  32. I read this in my 8th grade English class. I cant believe we were reading that in 8th grade...

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  33. Not sure if it's a good idea to introduce slavery to kids.

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  34. I remember this book, great read.

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  35. Slave's insight?. that's some cool sci-fi story folk.

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  36. I think you are better than most mmmm

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  37. It's a dark spot in our history, but we won't learn unless we let our kids know.

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  38. This Is an amazing book

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