Runaway to Freedom: A Story of the Underground Railway

By Barbara Smucker

Book Overview

"There's a place the slaves been whisperin' around called Canada," Mammy tells her daughter one night. "The law don't allow no slavery there." The very next morning, a ruthless slave trader separates Julilly from her mother, taking Julilly to a plantation in the dreaded Deep South. The slave quarters there are crowded and filthy, and the slaves are as frail and thin as shadows. The cruel overseer lashes out with his whip at every opportunity. So when Julilly gets a chance to escape, she and her crippled friend Liza don't hesitate, despite their terror of what will happen if they are caught. They go disguised as boys, hiding by day and running by night. Along the way they are helped by courageous people who hide them in secret "stations" of the Underground Railway -- and they are pursued constantly by slave hunters and bloodhounds. Each close brush with danger brings them a step closer to Canada ... and freedom.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064401065
• ISBN13: 9780064401067
• Release Date: October 1979
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.6" x 0.3" x 5.1"
• Age Range: 9 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 8

Customer Reviews

Runnin for freedom

Runaway to freedom starts out with a girl in slavery sold to another owner. Her new owner is mean and whips were as her old one didn't. One day a man comes and works on freeing some slaves. After a while he get's about four slaves to leave to freedom. The question is whether or not they make it there. I really loved this book. It not only gives you lot's of adventure but also provides you with some history. If asked whether I would recommend this book I would say yes. So not only would this be interesting to read for fun but provide a good school book. That's why I read it.

An indepth look at the horrible world of slavery.

We think that this book was a good way for kids to get a look at what history was like. The book was so amazingly detailed that you really could relate to how the characters felt. We belive that anybody interested in history, adventure, or just plain like to read would enjoy this book.