Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (2006)

The story of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery to freedom. Easy beginning biography

Plot ( )

This gorgeous picture-book, which more than deserves its Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration, follows the story of Harriet Tubman's own escape from slavery - a journey that (one imagines) would provide an example for all of the daring southward returns which followed, once she became a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Presented as a dialogue between Harriet and God, in whom she had an unshakable faith, and with whom she had a deep and loving relationship, it highlights the fact that many slaves had little recourse, in the face of brutality and injustice, save to the Divine. Tense, beautiful, moving, Carole Boston Weatherford's narrative envisions the process whereby Harriet the slave became Moses the liberator.

Like some other reviewers, I'm not sure that Weatherford's book would make the best introduction to the story of Harriet Tubman, for young readers who have never before encountered it before, since it focuses on the spiritual aspects of her life, and picks up when she is already a grown woman. I seem to recall that the biography of Tubman that I owned as a girl devoted some time to her youth, and that I was particularly struck (and horrified) by the incident in which her "owner" hit her in the head with a two-pound weight, thereby inflicting a life-long traumatic injury (an incident that appears here only in the informative afterword). But although not the best introduction to Harriet Tubman, Moses is a book that, for those young readers already familiar with her story, will add another dimension to their understanding and admiration of her.

As for the artwork by Kadir Nelson, it alone makes the entire book worth seeking out! Stunningly beautiful, with brilliant use of color and light, and one emotionally resonant scene following another, it warrants every superlative imaginable! Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for good picture-books about Harriet Tubman - particularly those looking for supplemental material - as well as to anyone who appreciates gorgeous picture-book art! ( )

Kafir Nelson's rich illustrations bring this lovely picture book to life. Although I've marked it as a biography and Harriet Tubman's Christian faith is well-documented, Weatherford does take a fair amount of creative license in Tubman's' conversations with God. Still, a beautiful portrayal of an inspiring woman. ( )

Boston brings a new dimension to the Harriet Tubman story with her focus on Harriet's relationship with God. A forward at the beginning of the book sets the context with a brief explanation of slavery. An author's note at the end of the book gives biographical information on Tubman. Nelson's illustrations are remarkable; he makes perspective choices that hold the reader's interest, but it's his faces that stand out. Every time we see Tubman's face it is a revelation - the emotions, the lines, the sheer determination Tubman needed to survive. This would be great with regular schools for Civil War or slavery units but could also be great for Sunday schools. ( )