Get on Board: The Story of the Underground Railroad

By James Haskins

Book Overview

Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Jim Haskins tells the story of the Underground Railroad. New in paperback, this colorful history weaves together personal stories, historical material, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590454188
• ISBN13: 9780590454186
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Scholastic, Incorporated
• Length: 152 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

My review for this book

Inside the front cover of his book, James Haskins states his thesis, which is proven exceptionally well throughout his book. "From the first blacks brought to this country in chains, slaves came up with ingenious ways to escape to freedom. During their long perilous journeys, most would not have survived without the Underground Railroad." (Inside of front cover) He adequately proves this thesis by collecting stories, myths, and history together into one book. Haskins covers all of the bases by giving stories that help by showing examples of each part of the Underground Railroad.Haskins had a long history leading up to writing this book. He grew up in rural Alabama in an age when African Americans were still fighting for their rights. He remarked one time that "[He] was born into a society in which blacks were in deep trouble if they forgot about the real world. For if they daydreamed and were caught off-guard, they could pay dearly." (Something about the Author Autobiography Series) He was a hard worker and flew through high school and college. He learned to stand up for what he believed in and as he aged he began to fight more and more. He was once expelled from the University of Alabama after being arrested for marching the streets of Montgomery, Alabama with Martin Luther King Jr. He earned his Masters Degree in social psychology and his Bachelors Degree in History. He taught as a teacher in Harlem, where he kept a journal, which later became his first book. Haskins has written over 100 wonderful non-fiction books and most deal with matters strongly regarding African Americans. Many of these books have won highly regarded and prestigious awards clearly showing Haskins's ability to write well.One of the best things that Haskins was able to do with this book was to collect so many stories and relate them to his thesis. His book covers stories of Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr. to Catherine and Levi Coffin and Fredrick Douglas. Haskins' degree in history probably played a role in his ability to select so many stories. The way that he is able to flow the stories together also shows great expertise and knowledge.Every book has its ups and downs and the biggest and most obvious down to this book is its organization. Haskins attempted to place so much information into a 12-chapter book and expected that it would flow and make good sense. The book is organized by the different aspects of the Underground Railroad, not chronologically, like a collection of stories should. Elizabeth M. Reardon, a teacher from Tennessee, said that, "[the book's] organization is potentially confusing to readers with no background in the subject, and the writing is often confusing." (School Library Journal, February 1993, 98) Most of Haskins writing is fairly easy to understand and makes good sense. It is in modern English and reads exceptionally easy, similar to a children's book. Sometimes in the story, Haskins tries to force too much inf