This is the dramatic story of the Underground Railroad as seen through the eyes of two young girls -- Eliza, a runaway slave from a plantation in Virginia, and Johanna, whose family gives her refuge in St. Catharines, Canada West (now Ontario). In a unique mix of fact and fiction, each chapter is followed by background information and hands-on activities. Kids will learn about life on a cotton plantation, about abolitionists who fought to have slavery made illegal, and about the heroic actions of Canadians who sheltered runaway slaves. Beautifully detailed drawings accompany the text making The Last Safe House a comprehensive, all-in-one resource.
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Late one night in 1856, a mysterious "package" arrives at Johanna Reid's family home in St. Catharines, Ontario. It is 11-year-old Eliza Jackson, a runaway slave from a southern plantation. The Last Safe House, Barbara Greenwood's fascinating history of the Underground Railroad, tells the story of two young girls, one black and one white, who become friends through the legendary network for escaped slaves. For Eliza, who has recently become separated from her mother and brother, the Reids' home in Canada is "the last safe house" at the end of a long road to freedom. Twelve-year-old Johanna, however, sees Eliza merely as an unwanted guest--that is, until she listens to the girl's account of her family's terrifying flight north to Canada.
The Last Safe House draws on slave narratives and meticulous research to vividly suggest what life was like for runaway slaves and the families who sheltered them. Handsomely illustrated by Heather Collins, this first book in Greenwood's popular history series for middle readers blends fact with fiction with great skill. At the end of each instalment in the tale of Eliza and Johanna, there are explanatory notes on topics like the Fugitive Slave Law, as well as maps, diagrams, and profiles of abolitionists. Greenwood even includes activities, such as how to make a cornhusk doll like the one Eliza leaves Johanna before rejoining her real family. Amazingly, Greenwood is able to include all this enriching supplementary material without missing a single beat in her compelling narrative. --Lisa Alward
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-A book that is part novel, part history lesson, and part activity guide. Surprisingly, Greenwood succeeds on all counts. The story revolves around a Canadian family's participation in the Underground Railroad in 1856. Johanna Reid, 12, must live with Eliza, an escaped slave, as Eliza waits to be reunited with her mother and brother, who did not make it to the safety of the Reids' home. Johanna learns to cope with her own prejudices as she comes to see Eliza as a friend. Interspersed with the girls' story of friendship are brief descriptions of life on a plantation and the Underground Railroad: how it worked, who risked their lives to escape or help others flee, and who profited from catching a fugitive slave. The information is often specific to Canada, but readers in the U.S. will not find the book unbalanced. The activities include songs and storytelling as well as directions for making a cornhusk doll, a lantern for a window (a signal on the Underground Railroad), and gingerbread cookies. Sepia drawings appear on almost every page, giving the book an open look. There is a rather paltry index considering the amount of information relayed. Teachers looking for ideas for a unit on the Underground Railroad and children who are looking for a briefer alternative to novels such as Kathryn Lasky's True North (Scholastic, 1996) will find what they want here.
Carol Fazioli, The Brearley School, New York City, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Carol Fazioli, The Brearley School, New York City, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Reason for Reading: Read aloud to my son as part of our history studies.
Summary: The story of a slave mother and her two children who escape from a southern plantation to St. Catharines, Canada via the Underground Railroad. The family is split up and the little girl, Eliza, is the first to arrive across the border at the Reids' house and the story concentrates on her and the youngest Reid girl as they spend time together. From Eliza's point of view we see the weight of slavery lift and are told about her past life through flashbacks. From Johanna Reid we see at first jealousy at this girl who is so eager to please, then understanding of what slavery really is. The two girls become friends and Johanna soon comes to realize that even in a 'free' county there are some two-faced people who treat the blacks in town differently. The plot becomes more exciting as slave catchers come on the scene and through different ways the brother and mother finally make it to safety.
Comments: This book is set up exactly like Greenwood & Collins' Pioneer series of books. Between each chapter of the fictional story there is a non-fiction section which digs deeper into the subjects discussed. These sections often refer to the characters in the story and seamlessly join together. Each of these sections also includes an activity though they are less crafty than in previous books by this team. Here we have a few crafts, baking, singing, and storytelling. This is the first time I've read this title and I enjoyed even more than The Pioneer Story. The characters are real and we are shown the story from many different view points: the runaway slaves, the American Underground Railroad conductors, the Canadian freedom helpers, Canadian women and children with racist attitudes, we even see why the slave catchers would cross into Canada and try to take slaves back when they had no rights on this side of the border. Heather Collins' black and white drawings are very detailed and informative. An excellent book that takes you from the slave on the plantation, to the fugitive on the run, and finally to the free black in the city, working and sending their children to school.
Summary: The story of a slave mother and her two children who escape from a southern plantation to St. Catharines, Canada via the Underground Railroad. The family is split up and the little girl, Eliza, is the first to arrive across the border at the Reids' house and the story concentrates on her and the youngest Reid girl as they spend time together. From Eliza's point of view we see the weight of slavery lift and are told about her past life through flashbacks. From Johanna Reid we see at first jealousy at this girl who is so eager to please, then understanding of what slavery really is. The two girls become friends and Johanna soon comes to realize that even in a 'free' county there are some two-faced people who treat the blacks in town differently. The plot becomes more exciting as slave catchers come on the scene and through different ways the brother and mother finally make it to safety.
Comments: This book is set up exactly like Greenwood & Collins' Pioneer series of books. Between each chapter of the fictional story there is a non-fiction section which digs deeper into the subjects discussed. These sections often refer to the characters in the story and seamlessly join together. Each of these sections also includes an activity though they are less crafty than in previous books by this team. Here we have a few crafts, baking, singing, and storytelling. This is the first time I've read this title and I enjoyed even more than The Pioneer Story. The characters are real and we are shown the story from many different view points: the runaway slaves, the American Underground Railroad conductors, the Canadian freedom helpers, Canadian women and children with racist attitudes, we even see why the slave catchers would cross into Canada and try to take slaves back when they had no rights on this side of the border. Heather Collins' black and white drawings are very detailed and informative. An excellent book that takes you from the slave on the plantation, to the fugitive on the run, and finally to the free black in the city, working and sending their children to school.
Format:Paperback
I discovered Barbara Greenwood's A Pioneer Story as a kid and quickly looked for other books by the author and The Last Safe House was just as enjoyable and informative. Not only do you learn from the fictitious part of the book but Greenwood mixes in non-fiction sections that state clearly - and not in a 'dumbed-down' manner - how it really was for the courageous slaves who managed to escape and also the bravery of the people who risked their lives as well to help. Frankly, books like The Last Safe House are the necessary antidote to today's quickly cranked out and flashy series for kids. There is a serious need for well-written, informative, imaginative literature in today's marketplace, and Barbara Greenwood does her part in filling that niche.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The last safe house is a great book. It shows the trails of a runnaway slave and how it does't matter whats your color you are.People are not always friends but really know.
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superior in Every Way
Wow, does it make for persuasive argument if I just say this book is good? No, but Barbara Greenwood's "The Last Safe House"" is a must for anyone interested in the... Read more
Published on July 18 2001 by D. A. Lewis
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!
The Last Safe House is a fictional story with non-fiction stories in it. It tells about people in slavery during the mid eighteen hundreds. Read more
Published on Mar 7 2001 by Jedidiah @ the Waukazoo Elementary Library
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sensitive and Sensible
The Last Safe House is a blend of good research, good writing, enjoyable illustrations and activities to make the subject come alive for children. Read more
Published on Feb 26 2000 by scheherazade
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating story of the Underground Railroad.
The year is 1856. Twelve year old Johanna Reid lives in Saint Catharines, Ontario, a small town on the border of the U.S. and Canada. Read more
Published on Dec 4 1998
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