Review by Booklist Review
Technically it wasn't against the law in early nineteenth-century Kentucky for Lilly Ann Granderson to know how to read and write, and she shared these skills with other enslaved people in the hope of a better future. When she was taken to Mississippi, her literacy was considered illegal, yet she found a place in Natchez to secretly gather with students under cover of night. After being caught, they were surprised when authorities did not forbid what they were doing, and Lilly's teaching continued into and after the Civil War. This inspiring true story, told in a straightforward style, provides good context, explaining why owners feared the education of the enslaved, and that, despite the dangers to Lilly (known in some documentation by different names and spellings) and the hundreds of her fellow African Americans she impacted, it was worth risking punishment and sacrificing sleep. The full-page earth-toned acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations depict the full drama, danger, and determination although some of the human figures are awkwardly rendered and are followed by an afterword, references, and quotation sources.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Halfmann tells the powerful story of Lily Ann Granderson, an enslaved woman who "believed the path to freedom was through education." Ladd's rich, naturalistic acrylic-and-pencil images depict Granderson's upbringing in Kentucky, where she learned to read and write in secret, then shared her knowledge with other children. As an enslaved adult in Mississippi, Granderson risked punishment by holding night classes in an empty cabin: "Landowners feared that if the enslaved could read, they would discover that some northerners wanted slavery abolished." After the school is discovered, Granderson is shocked to learn that she won't be punished (Halfmann speculates about why she might have escaped punishment in an afterword) and reopens her school, teaching as a free woman for many more years. The painful but uplifting narrative may spark readers' curiosity about other enslaved individuals whose stories have not yet been told. Ages 7-11. Illustrator's agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-A winning tribute to Lilly Ann Granderson, the Midnight Teacher. Granderson, who was enslaved, secretly learned to read and write as a child and passed on this dear knowledge to hundreds of other enslaved people despite the great risks. To avoid the notice and suspicion of white masters and patrollers, she hosted her school in the middle of the night. Halfmann's narrative follows Granderson's life pre- and post-Civil War, including Granderson's involvement in educating newly freed black people in the South. In the afterword, Halfmann delves further into this hero's legacy: her grandchildren and great-grandchild would go on to become college grads, U.S. congressmen, and more. Ladd's illustrations, rendered in acrylic and colored pencil, are realistic and done in an earthy palette of sandy browns and rich greens. Ladd adroitly conveys the tone of the narrative with dioramalike scenes and uses perspective to add intensity. VERDICT A top choice for any library serving elementary school-aged children.-Shira -Pilarski, Farmington -Community Library, MI © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Halfmann tells young readers the little-known story of Lilly Ann Granderson, a slave who secretly learned to read and write alongside her master's children. As an adult, Granderson risked her life to educate other slaves. Earth-toned, realistic acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations are sometimes flat yet add emotion to the narrative. Back matter includes a contextual afterword and quotation sources. Bib. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An unsung hero and literacy champion whose teaching changed many lives.Halfmann and Ladd tell the remarkable, true story of Lilly Ann Granderson, an enslaved woman born around 1821 in Petersburg, Virginia. Following the death of her mother, Lilly Ann was sold to a Kentucky slave owner. The master's children would often play school and included Lilly Ann, teaching her to read. They even gave her an "old ragged blue-back spellerto use and keep," which she used to practice in private and teach others on the plantation. However, when her master died, she was sold to a cotton plantation in Natchez, Mississippi, where it was illegal for slaves to learn to read. Though Lilly Ann faced much higher penalties there in restarting her school, she expanded her education efforts. However, when the patrollers caught her leading her slave schoolthe punishment for which was 39 lashesthe authorities found "no law against a slave teaching a slave." This picture book's detailed, realistic illustrations were created using acrylic paint and colored pencil. Ladd's artwork shows Lilly Ann's determination to improve lives through literacy and will also familiarize readers with the book's historical settings. An informative afterword and bibliography will make this a useful addition to U.S. history lessons.An excellent homage to an African-American woman who taught ahead of her time. (Picture book/biography. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
