UNDERGROUND

Underground

Illustrated and Written by: Shane Evens

Roaring Book Press, 2011

29 pages

Historical Fiction 

       I chose to read this book after it was recommended by Mrs. Strain.  The book is written poetically and its setting takes place in the 1960's during the underground railroad. The  book is about a family of slaves who escape in the darkness in the search for freedom by running and crawling toward the light. The light represents freedom. Although the story is very short it provides readers with emotion and descriptive details through simple wording. 

      The illustrations in this story assists the wording in showing readers the motions and the emotions that are involved in the journey. The coloring is very simple and they look to have been created using pencils and or paints. The text is in large print and are informally placed. I personally love the simplicity or both the text and the illustrations, for their simplicity still  provides so much meaning. I, however, am not the only one who loves these illustrations, for the installations are Caldecott winning.  

    I would recommend this book for students in kindergarten though third grade. Although the story seems simple it contains a deep meaning and I would use that to teach students the power in writing. I would also use this book as the introduction to the underground railroad and slavery.For a higher level of thinking, I might ask students to discuss what they believe freedom meant for these people.  I personally enjoy looking deep within this book and would definitely include it in my classroom library.