Freedom on the Sea: The True Story of the Civil War Hero Robert Smalls and His Daring Escape to Freedom

(Hardback)

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Description

On the night of May 13, 1862, as the Civil War raged on in the United States, sixteen enslaved people decided they would reach freedom or die trying. Filled to the brim with suspense, this true story details how Robert Smalls commandeered a confederate ship through the Charleston harbor toward the Union blockade and liberation. Experience both determination and triumph with this picture book written by Robert Small's great-great-grandson, Michael Boulware Moore, with illustrations by the award-winning artist Bryan Collier.

Reviews

"This picture-book retelling of his courageous escape from slavery is particularly good for a young audience. The story is presented with a sense of drama while filling in background information for kids. Blue hues subtly enhance the shades of brown in Collier's illustrations. Using deep, contrasting colors and subtle textures, the striking paintings are particularly effective in the dimly lit scenes indoors and on the water at night. A handsome, historical picture book."--Booklist, starred review

"Beginning with Smalls's arrival from Beaufort to Charleston, South Carolina as an enslaved 12-year-old, engrossing text focuses on the figure's skill with boats, his close-knit family's life together, and the troubling truth that "being enslaved meant that any one of them could be sold away at any time." Atmospheric collage-style imagery from Collier (Maya's Song) transports readers to the time period as Smalls becomes a wheelman on a side-wheel steamer, the Planter, and, after the Civil War's start, seeks liberation for his family."--Publisher's Weekly

Author Bio

Michael Boulware Moore is the Democratic candidate for Congress in South Carolina's first district running for the seat his great-great-grandfather once held. Moore is well known as a profound businessman, and Freedom on the Sea is his first children's book. michaelbmoore.com Bryan Collier is the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winner of numerous children's books, including Rosa and Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. When he's not painting, he spends his time visiting schools and encouraging young artists and readers. Collier lives in New York with his wife and daughters. bryancollier.com