Review by Booklist Review
Frederick Douglass' piercing eyes stare directly from the cover of Frederick's Journey as if to alert readers that the story they are about to share is intense. Indeed, Rappaport and Ladd sugarcoat nothing about the abuse, cruelty, and coldness of the institution of slavery, which determined young Frederick's early life. The book opens bluntly with these words: Frederick was taken from his mother when he was a baby. . . . Only five times did he feel her loving arms around him. The accompanying picture depicts his mother, arms reaching, agony stretched across her face. From there, the story speeds forward through boyhood and manhood, touching on marriage, freedom, exile, and activism. There are a few chronological gaps that might prompt readers to do their own research, and quotations from Douglass' autobiography give the narrative heft. This true story of determination and courage despite all odds concludes appropriately with Douglass' own words: If there is no struggle, there is no progress. A message worth heeding.--Chaudhri, Amina Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-Frederick Douglass's journey from slavery to international renown as writer and lecturer is broadly sketched here. Readers meet Douglass eye to eye as he gazes, serious and frowning, from a commanding portrait filling the entire front cover of the large square picture book. An unusual design choice places the title and creator names in bold text on the back cover. The poignant childhood years, some enjoyed and others endured, make for a touching, memorable story. About a third of the work is devoted to Douglass's adulthood. Emphasizing his role as a man of words, Rappaport includes frequent quotations. She focuses on Douglass's oratory and writing accomplishments but tells almost nothing of the man's personal life. In a rare specific example when she does, readers learn that Douglass's friends bought his freedom for $710.96. He went on to lecture in Great Britain and Ireland, started a newspaper, became friendly with Abraham Lincoln, and was involved with the Underground Railroad. Although the book features a concluding list of "Important Dates," Rappaport often neglects to mention where and when key events occurred: overall, this is a quick introduction accompanied by some striking visuals. Ladd casts a sepia glow in handsome scenes of key figures, and his illustrator's note adds a fun light on his painting of them. The many existing children's books about Douglass include works by well-known writers, some of which are included in the "Selected Research Sources" section. VERDICT Eloquent in part-though a bit skimpy, too-this is an attractive and versatile package.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The children were called to eat, like so many pigs. / He that ate fastest got most. / I have often been so pinched with hunger, / that I fought with the dog / for the smallest crumbs. Such is the type of primary source quotationthe type that gives you a visceral reactionthat Rappaport has carefully chosen to intersperse throughout the main text of her latest picture-book biography. There are many longer books that detail the events of Douglasss lifefrom his enslaved childhood to his escape as a young man to his passionately outspoken advocacy for the abolition of slaverybut this one, in picture-book form, manages to synthesize those details just as well as a much longer work might, and all without losing the essence of the great man. This is due, in no small part, to Ladds contribution. His paintings alternate between moments of high tension, drama, and violence (the baby Frederick being torn from his mother, the master whipping Douglasss aunt, his fight with the farmer who had rented him) and times of solitude, reflection, and even happiness (a young Frederick fishing with his grandmother, receiving the news of the Emancipation Proclamation)resulting in a portrait that is fiery, yet dignified. An authors note, illustrators note, timeline, and sources are appended. jonathan hunt (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Brilliantly crafted words, both written and spoken, defined Frederick Douglass' dedication to the abolition of slavery and achievement of dignity for all peoples. Skillfully weaving together her concise narration with Douglass' own writings, Rappaport has fashioned an accessible, even riveting biography of the great 19th-century American. Born a slave, he was raised by his loving grandmother until his sixth birthday, when the horrors of plantation life replaced her gentle care. During a brief stay in Baltimore, the wife of his owner taught him to read. Growing older, he was sold to a cruel master and nearly broken, yet he resolved to run away and affirm his right to freedom. Living in the North and in England, he began his crusade, through newspapers and speeches, for emancipation and voting rights. Readers will gain an understanding of and empathy for his resolve and drive. Ladd's powerful and dramatic full-bleed art is richly textured and detailed. Expressive faces, tranquil Maryland scenes, and battlefields fill the pages. The front cover, as in the author's Martin's Big Words (2001), which garnered a Caldecott honor for illustrator Bryan Collier, is a striking full-page portrait. At the conclusion, a double-page spread depicts contemporary children gazing at the likeness of Douglass in a museum, helping to make him a realnot just historicalfigure. A fittingly inspirational tribute to a most praiseworthy man. (author's note, illustrator's note, important dates, selected research sources) (Picture book/biography. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
