Book Descriptions
for Minty by Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
"I'm gonna run away," the sad, angry Minty tells her mother after the Missus throws her rag doll into the fire. Later, after she is beaten by the overseer, the young girl who is a slave on a Maryland plantation tells her parents once again that she will flee. Realizing their daughter's determination, they subtly but deliberately begin to show her things she will need to know to survive: how to find her way to north by moss on trees and one shining star; how to swim a river; how to find food in the forest. Alan Schroeder's moving story never strays from what is possible in this fictional biography of the life of young Harriet Tubman. Jerry Pinkney's full-color paintings are rendered in pencil, colored pencil and watercolor. Light and dark dance across the pages of this 11 3/4 x 9 3/4" book as he skillfully and beautifully brings his vision of Minty's story to life. Winner, 1996 CCBC Coretta Scott King Award Discussion: Illustrator (Ages 7-10)
CCBC Choices 1996. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1996. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
They called her "Minty."
When she grew up, she became Harriet Tubman, the courageous and heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. But she was just a little girl for a while—and this is her story. Minty, short for Araminta, was a feisty and headstrong young slave, whose rebellious spirit often got her into trouble. She told stories to her doll, released animals from traps, and, above all, dreamed of running away. And when her father began to teach her the skills necessary for escape, she listened carefully, and learned. . . .
*"Rich with melodrama, suspense, pathos, and, of course, a powerful vision of freedom. This exquisitely crafted book resonates well beyond its few pages."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award
An ALA Notable Book
When she grew up, she became Harriet Tubman, the courageous and heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. But she was just a little girl for a while—and this is her story. Minty, short for Araminta, was a feisty and headstrong young slave, whose rebellious spirit often got her into trouble. She told stories to her doll, released animals from traps, and, above all, dreamed of running away. And when her father began to teach her the skills necessary for escape, she listened carefully, and learned. . . .
*"Rich with melodrama, suspense, pathos, and, of course, a powerful vision of freedom. This exquisitely crafted book resonates well beyond its few pages."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award
An ALA Notable Book
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.