readaloud_mom's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
I'm so glad that Gwendolyn Hooks co-authored this book! Unlike some of the earlier History Smashers (which are trying, bless them, but not always hitting the mark), I feel like I can whole-heartedly recommend History Smashers: The Underground Railroad without having to add a bunch of caveats about covert stereotyping. The language used to describe the enslaved seems very carefully chosen, emphasizing their personhood and agency.
This book would work as an introduction to the topics of racism and slavery; there's some re-treading of ground that young readers of books like Stamped (for Kids) might already be familiar with. However, there are also enough additional true stories of courage and adventure (and enough examining primary sources for bias, always my favorite part of this series!) that this book is also worthwhile for kids who are already pretty savvy about the United States' history of racism.
This book would work as an introduction to the topics of racism and slavery; there's some re-treading of ground that young readers of books like Stamped (for Kids) might already be familiar with. However, there are also enough additional true stories of courage and adventure (and enough examining primary sources for bias, always my favorite part of this series!) that this book is also worthwhile for kids who are already pretty savvy about the United States' history of racism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Racism, Violence, Death, and War
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