To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Underground to Canada , please sign up. How did the woman treat Julilly at the first house they approached? Hailey This answer contains spoilers… view spoiler [the woman was awful and greetly minded aka not nice what so ever hide spoiler ].
Who is Alexander Ross? Ali Mr. Alexander Ross is a Canadian who comes to the Riley plantation the study the birds.
He is actually trying to help slaves escape. He is a white man …more Mr. He is a white man who has a big belly, and is dressed like a preacher. He is also an abolitionist. See all 6 questions about Underground to Canada…. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Start your review of Underground to Canada. Jul 25, DeadWeight rated it did not like it.
Barbara Smucker was a white woman. I feel that should be stated outright. While Smucker, I'm sure, had good intentions, these intentions were Underground to Canada is a horrendously white-washed narrative of slavery about kind whites who help runaway slaves get to benevolent Canada, while presenting slavery to be some kind of marginally cruel bootcamp. That this novel is still widely circulated throughout the Canadian school system as the basis for education about black Barbara Smucker was a white woman.
I understand the rhetoric that the realities of slavery may be "too much" for young readers, but I have white cousins who, to this day, have a picture of black slavery in their heads almost entirely informed by this novel, a narrative that centers around a prevalence of benevolent slave-owners and mostly white heroes and a misplaced Canadian national pride. Ask most white children who read this book what their takeaway was, and it tends to be an empowering tale that teaches them that "if they were there" they'd have been one of the "benevolent whites," rather than just another unthinking cog in an institutional hate machine.
Smucker's heart was in the right place, but her book amounts largely to apologist nationalist propaganda, and should be swiftly taken out of the curriculum. If you're going to teach children about slavery, I think it's important that their first experiences with the subject be more representative of what slavery actually was, focus more on slavery itself rather than the white-aided escape narrative, and, perhaps most importantly, be actually written by a black person.
View all 8 comments. Feb 06, writer Reminded of this book with all the promo around Black History month. Very glad I picked it up to read. Smucker does an incredible depiction of life as a twelve year old slave girl, June Lilly, separated from her Mama Sally when slave traders come to buy up slaves at the plantation where she'd been born.
Historically accurate and great introduction to key members of the Abolitionist movement active in Julilly's journey to freedom. The destination word on the lips of those hungering for m Reminded of this book with all the promo around Black History month. The destination word on the lips of those hungering for more of life than whippings and beatings, broken spirits and battered bodies. Alexander Ross, the first contact Julilly meets. A Canadian physician and naturalist, who intentionally chose his path of justice for the slaves.
During the gruelling journey, the escaped slaves also meet the 'President' of the Underground Railroad by which they're travelling. Mr Levi Coffin, businessman, Quaker, and Abolitionist who opposed, " the whole system of slavery, and conscientiously believe it to Slave children being fed with slop poured into a trough where they had to slurp it by mouth rather than learning to feed as humans..
Tension ran high throughout the story. A momentary relaxing then the imminent danger of sheriffs and bounty hunters looking for runaway slaves had me clenching my jaw or holding my breath. Excellent descriptions of the slaves' life hiding in caves, locating 'depots', meeting unknown supporters, on the 'railroad' to their future.
Right to the very moment of embarking on the ship that would carry them across Lake Erie to Canada's shore and their new life.
I emotionally celebrated every victory with our young heroines. The arrival couldn't have been sweeter and the ending for which every lover of justice would hope. Including ever abolitionist of the Underground Railroad. Fast and fascinating read. Highly recommended. For learning and for incorporating in living even today. In the words of the Abolitionist that set Julilly on her run to freedom, Alexander Ross, "Injustice is the weapon of evil men. Bur there are always brave and noble souls who proceed on the course of right and are impervious to the consequences.
I feel rewarded for all my efforts, just to free the two of you. She worked as a reporter, teacher and librarian. In , she received the Vicky Metcalf Award for a distinguished body of writing.
Smucker focused on the historical plight of minority groups. Dec 15, Tommy rated it it was amazing. Then a man from Canada comes to the plantion saying that hes looking at birds and ask massa riley the owner of the plantion if he could take some slaves to help him look for theses birds and massa riley said he could and the man picked lester and adam to help him look for these brids.
The man isnt looking for birds hes helping slaves escape an lester asks this man if he can get two other slaves to run away and lester pick jullilly and liza. They all get away but then they find out that this man that help them escape is in jail so another man picks them up at the bridge he gives them the secret password to know that hes helping them the man whispers a friend with a friend so they get in the carriage and the man drops them off at a barn and leaves.
Then adam says they should go fishing so they do and then they get caught so jullily and liza have to run. They get to jeb browns house and find out that lester and adam escape and got to jeb browns house before they did and they get to canada and find out that adam died.
When jullily and liza go to meet lester at a hotel were he works julilly finds out that her mammy sally is already there. What i dislike about this book is how adam dies and that the black people can not go to schools in canada.
Jul 21, Sarah Susanna Rhomberg rated it really liked it Shelves: historical-fiction. I really enjoyed reading this book. Liza and Julilly are best of friends — like sisters — and they can each only make it to Canada because of the other. Both were key factors in freeing thousands of slaves. It was very interesting to read about the historical figures integrated into the plot, such as Alexander I really enjoyed reading this book.
It was very interesting to read about the historical figures integrated into the plot, such as Alexander Ross, an abolitionist who disguised himself as a naturalist and gave slaves information on how to escape. Another example is Levi Coffin, who with his wife helped more than ! A book I can recommend. Jul 10, Jojo Krubally rated it it was amazing. Read this book at school when I was about I vaguely remember it but it seemed to go on forever back then.
Its always remained with me though. Now my husband is a West African and so slavery is part of his and our sons heritage. I read it in one evening. An amazing book I couldn't put down. Brought the conditions of these slaves to life Its a shame this book isn't more well known the library copy I read had been checked out 3 times since and Im not going to hesitate recommending it to anyone and everyone Nov 30, Sarah rated it it was ok.
I recognize that the author was trying to write a book for children about a difficult topic, but when you are telling other peoples' stories, you'd better do your darn research and think a while. May 18, Karina rated it really liked it. I read this with my year old while home schooling and thought it was a great story about slavery for that age group.
A sanitized introduction to the appalling slave trade in the southern US making it suitable for younger audiences to introduce them to the subject.
Of course there are many more and incredible adult novels about the slavery experience and the various escape routes north to Canada, but this is an important contribution to children's literature.
The horrors endured by Julilly and her friends is not shied away from, but also not too graphic for younger readers to cope with. Her journey, being sol A sanitized introduction to the appalling slave trade in the southern US making it suitable for younger audiences to introduce them to the subject.
Her journey, being sold from one plantation in Virginia to another in Mississippi, separated from her mother and realising that not all plantations were created equal and her situation in Mississippi being much worse, her escape along with another girl, Liza her friend, and Adam and Lester, is well narrated. Help was forthcoming from unexpected quarters, but this is also a tale of endurance and the bond of friendship. Some historical characters who were instrumental in the underground railroad are included.
My main criticism would be the happy reunion ending that pushes credibility beyond the limits, although younger readers will find this soothing. Jun 10, Farah Mendlesohn rated it really liked it. Back in the s when I first read this book I adored it. I still think it a fantastic book in many ways, but it's portrayal of Canada as the land of freedom should be tempered with more modern takes.
Julius Lester was the person I read when I was young and even then, you can see the differences in the much tougher portrayals. View 2 comments. Jan 24, David the quirkful hashira alchemist rated it really liked it Shelves: historical-fiction , Mar 11, Jenni Moeller rated it really liked it.
We did this for a lit study for school and it went really well. We all enjoyed the story and learned more about the underground railway and those who helped slaves escape. Apr 22, I love to read rated it liked it.
This book was okay Very unrealistic, though. Dec 14, Vanessa rated it really liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
This book is about how Julily, gets taken away from her mother, and is forced to work at a horrible plantation. About Contact. Underground to Canada. Toronto: Penguin, Published How to Cite Quirk, L. Underground to Canada by B. Issue Vol. Tubman responded by rerouting the Underground Railroad into Canada, a country that prohibits slavery. Tubman eventually worked for the Union Army where she guided the Combahee River Raid, which liberated more than seven hundred slaves in South Carolina.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is a autobiography of the life of Frederick douglass and how he was a slave at birth but at the end achieved legal freedom. Uncle Tom's Cabin is the story of a slave and his lifestyle as he had encountered a kind owner, it also has a mother that runs away with her son to reunite with her husband in canada.
From to , mostly Industrialization and Immigration happened. Western expansion was occurring, Americans were moving west and were trying to create an empire of liberty, they were trying to tame and industrialize the west, this had created new ideas along with new problems. The market revolution was also occurring during this time period, new technology was made. She took his last name, and changed her first name to Harriet in honor of her mother.
In , she was scared that she and other slaves were going to be sold because her slave master was ill. Harriet Tubman planned to run away, and set out one night with the assistance from a white woman.
She finally reached Pennsylvania where she found a job and saved money for herself. Plot Summary: This is a true story of Henry Brown who was born as a slave. One day he meets Nancy, a slave girl who becomes his wife and gives birth to three children. They are lucky, they are allowed to live together even though they have different masters. Soon after, a friend tells Henry that his family has been sold at the slave market.
That same day Eliza had heard from her husband, and he said that he was also planning to leave his master. During this time Eliza was hoping that they could meet up and reunite. That night she attempted to escape.
But little did she know she was being followed by a slave trader Mr. She made across the Ohio state line without getting capture. Harriet A.
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