Hopkinson, Deborah. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Borzoi Book, 1993, illus. Ransome, James, p. 34.
Brief plot description:
Sweet Clara, the main character, lives on a slave plantation where she picks cotton. The other slaves are worried about how hard Clara is working and how it will affect her health. Aunt Rachel works in the Big House, and starts to teach Clara how to sew with great care so that she could become a seamstress for the master’s wife. Clara sews several things and Aunt Rachel shows her sewing to the master’s wife. Missus like her work and tells her she is working in the Big House. From the leftover pieces she makes a quilt that turns out to be a map because she hears stories about how slaves are using the Underground Railroad to escape from slavery. Clara remembers the map and she and Jack escape across the Ohio River. Clara leaves the quilt at Aunt Rachel’s house so that many other slaves can escape.
Brief review:
I liked this book very much because it shows one girl’s determination to escape slave life and to become free. It also shows that she is not selfish because she leaves her quilt behind for others to follow to freedom. I believe this is the main idea that the children should get from this book. I think that the book could be use starting in second grade and ending in fifth grade. It would be read by the youngest tweens. I would suggest using it during Black History month or when talking about slavery. I really liked the illustrations because they do a wonderful job of showing the characters in the life of slavery.
Genre label:
Historical Fiction
Reading level/interest level:
4th- 5th grade
Similar materials in style content, theme or characters:
Abraham’s Battle: A Novel of Gettysburg by Sarah Harrell Banks
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
Subjects/themes:
Black History Month
Slavery
Awards:
Reading Rainbow Review Books
Texas Bluebonnet Master List
Kentucky Bluegrass Master List
IRA Children’s Book Award for Younger Readers
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