Stories of the Underground Railroad

Young Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who soared above New York City rooftops in the Caldecott Honor Book (and Coretta Scott King Award-winning) Tar Beach, returns for an imaginative historical adventure.

The title of this inspiring story is the title of an important folk song from a troubled part of our nation's history. Hidden in the lyrics of "Follow the Drinking Gourd" were directions for following the Underground Railroad, the covert trail by which black slaves could escape North to eventual freedom.

Joshua and his family, runaway slaves from a tobacco plantation in Kentucky, follow the Underground Railroad to freedom.

This unique weaving of historical fact and fiction offers readers a wonderful mix of intrigue, drama, and history, as well as related activities to do at home.

Innovative perspective and use of light as well as a spare text result in an unforgettable portrayal of one slave's journey to freedom. In the forest, a group of animals help a runaway slave escape his pursuers.