The Legend of Freedom Hill

By Linda Jacobs Altman

Book Overview

A fictional story set during the California Gold Rush, in which a girl teams up with her best friend in search of gold to buy her mother's freedom from a slave catcher.

In the 1850s, during the time of the California Gold Rush, Rosabel and Sophie become best friends because they are both outsiders. Rosabel is African American and Sophie is Jewish. Rosabel has freedom papers, but her mother, Miz Violet, is a runaway slave. They have escaped to California, where slavery is against the law. But Miz Violet is not completely safe. The Fugitive Slave Act allows runaway slaves to be captured and returned to their owners.

When a slave catcher shows up and takes Miz Violet away, it is up to Rosabel and Sophie to put their clever minds together and come up with a way to free Miz Violet once and for all.

Using lively language that evokes the West of Gold Rush days, Linda Jacobs Altman has crafted a heartwarming story of love, bravery, and friendship.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1584301694
• ISBN13: 9781584301691
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 8.5" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 3

Customer Reviews

Tips on using this book in your classroom

I am a fourth grade teacher in California where the social studies curriculum centers on the study of California. I was attracted to the book because of its multicultural theme and beautiful illustrations. I used it as a read aloud in class with some heavily guided discussion where the book falls off. It needs some expansion on why these two girls and their families might have been seen as outsiders in the town. The solution seems to come a little too easily to these minority girls in an era where prejudice and discrimination ruled the mining towns. It did envoke a good discussion amongst my students about the likelihood of such a conclusion. The book did a good job of showing certain mining techniques and vocabulary which reinforces our curriculum nicely. I recommend using it class, but just steer the conversation towards the weaknesses in the book to be really effective.