Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 01/01/2012 Gr 2–5—This powerful, eloquent first-person narrative provides a moving account of Douglass's early life. Born and raised on plantations, he spent his formative years in Baltimore in the 1820s and '30s. His thirst to learn to read never waivered; he practiced writing with a brick and a lump of chalk, copying the letters of poor white children and stealing a copybook from his master's son. At 12-years-old, Douglass bought his first newspaper with tips he had earned. He copied words like "liberty," "justice," "freedom," and "abolition" and was inspired. Though this account ends with a hopeful plan to escape, an author's note reveals that he was unsuccessful but that he did escape in 1838 to New York, where he began his new life as an abolitionist leader. This talented team has created a concise, accessible, beautifully illustrated book based on Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Rich acrylic and oil paintings depict plantation life (poorly clothed slave children kneeling before troughs, devouring cornmeal mush like livestock) and the strong emotions of the people (a young Frederick being transported with hands tied behind his back, lest he escape). This handsome volume is recommended for slightly older audiences than William Miller and Cedric Lucas's Frederick Douglass: The Last Day of Slavery (Lee & Low, 1995).—Barbara Auerbach, PS 217, Brooklyn, NY - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 02/01/2012 Frederick Bailey, who would later change his surname to Douglass, relates his early years, from first vague memories of his mother, who walked through the night to visit her sleeping son on a neighboring plantation; through his childhood, with his service leased to the Auld family of Baltimore; to his first attempt to make an escape from Talbot County, Maryland. The narration is dignified and tightly focused on the way learning to read both inspired and enabled young Frederick to plan for a life of freedom in the North. The depiction of the risk involved for a slave to achieve literacy is particularly well handled for a picture-book audience. Tales of cruel punishment for slaves who could read distract Frederick as Mrs. Auld teaches him his letters; he later uses religious services as a cover for passing his skill on to fellow slaves. This chapter in Douglass’ story concludes with his forgery of a pass, written “in a firm and steady hand,” which would allow him to “walk right out of Talbot County and into freedom up north.” James Ransome’s oil and acrylic paintings underscore young Frederick’s determination and independent spirit, and their interplay with the text leaves readers with the strong impression that, once he had mastered the written word, Frederick’s labors in town and fields were only going to be unfortunate layovers on his unstoppable journey to freedom. A concluding note explains that the forged-pass plan never came off, and it would be several more years before Douglass escaped to New York. However, even children unacquainted with Douglass the abolitionist will somehow sense that nothing is going to keep young Frederick Bailey in bondage. A brief timeline and list of sources are included. EB - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 03/15/2012 From birth and early separation from his mother to his first escape attempt at age 17, this picture-book adaptation of Frederick Douglass’ autobiography depicts the emotional turmoil and dehumanization of slavery. As the title suggests, the focus is on the forbidden act of reading. Taught by a well-meaning “Missus,” his lessons were suddenly halted with the warning, “If you teach him how to read, there would be no keeping him. It would forever unfit him to be a slave.” Teaching other slaves to read, Douglass devised a way to escape using his ability to write, and the adaptation ends with this clever scheme. An author’s appended note reveals the attempt failed, but three years later, Douglass succeeded. Realistic acrylic and oil paintings portray harsh images of slavery. Cows graze in the field as slaves eat their meal from a trough. In a dramatic scene, young Frederick sits high on dock bales quietly reading by moon glow as unaware wealthy men walk below. Short enough for reading aloud in one session, this handsome retelling is an inspiring resource for primary-school classes and older reluctant readers. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.

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