Frederick's Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglass (A Big Words Book, 8)

After Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery, he went on to educate himself and take a prominent role on the national stage during the time of Lincoln, the Civil War, and the struggle for black suffrage that followed. The author incorporates quotations from Frederick Douglass’s into this biography for children, which showcases how poetic and stirring Douglass could be. The author begins with this quote from Douglass's autobiography:

“You have seen how man
was made a slave;
You shall see how a slave
was made a man.”

Rappaport then takes us through the events of his life using lyrical free verse along with Douglass’s own words. In fact, Douglass’s life was so remarkable I can’t imagine how the author was able to narrow it down to show more the confines of a picture book. One of her decisions was to make a lot of the book about Douglass’s childhood, which might be of greater interest to the target audience of grades 3-5.

His adult life doesn’t get much coverage, but there is enough to show that he was a major player in the events before and after the Civil War, in spite of having been born a slave and growing up in a society willing to go to war over the desire of the South to preserve and protect the institution of slavery. And after the slaves were emancipated, Douglass didn’t stop there, but agitated for the right to vote.

Again quoting Douglass:

“Slavery is not abolished
until the black man has the ballot.”

I am continually astounded by Douglass’s erudition, courage, and perseverance. I think young readers will get a sense of this as well not only from the text in this book, but from the striking acrylics by illustrator London Ladd.

The book ends with notes by both the author and illustrator, a list of important dates relevant to Douglass’s life, and selected sources for further research.

Evaluation: It’s hard to go wrong with a biography of such a heroic and influential man as Frederick Douglass. show less

Great as a first Douglas Bio for kids. Each page includes a related quote from Douglas, which made this a unique biography that richly emphasized his determination and amazing experience.

Great as a first Douglas Bio for kids. Each page includes a related quote from Douglas, which made this a unique biography that richly emphasized his determination and amazing experience.

Great as a first Douglas Bio for kids. Each page includes a related quote from Douglas, which made this a unique biography that richly emphasized his determination and amazing experience.

FREDERICK’s JOURNEY by Doreen Rappaport tells the inspirational true story of a slave boy who ultimately achieves freedom and spreads his abolitionist beliefs to promote change.

The author skillfully weaves together a nonfiction narrative that combines Douglass’ life story with excerpts from his writings and speeches. Amazing illustrations by London Ladd add to the power of this important story.

In addition to the narrative itself, the book also includes an Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, timeline, and sources.

The Big Words series is an excellent way to introduce youth to key historical figures. Librarians will find Frederick’s Journey to be an excellent addition. Consider creating a display that features this entire series. show more Incorporate a timeline that shows how the books are connected chronologically and thematically.

To learn more about the author, go to http://doreenrappaport.com/.

To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.londonladd.com/.

Published by Disney-Hyperion on November 3, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher. show less

Summary:
The story tells about the life of Frederick Douglass. Tells how he was raised by his grandmother because his mom was a slave and he never got to see her. He didn't know who his dad was. And then as a child he was sent off be a slave. As he grew up, he become more and more educated about the world around him and he began fighting to end slavery and then for equal rights. A lot of people didn't agree with Douglass but he made a difference in the world.

Personal Reaction:
Very great book. Really explains and shows what times were like back then and the struggles that people faced on a day to day basis. The author explains things in a way that a child would be able to understand.

Classroom Ideas:
1. Talk to the children about what show more was going on during the setting of the book and why this was such an important time in history.
2. Show the children video footage of Frederick Douglass and his legacy. show less

Great story.