Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom

Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom

Written & illustrated by: Shane Evans

Roaring Book Press, 2011

32 pages

Picture Book: Historical Fiction

            I chose this book because it is a Coretta Scott King Award winning book. This book walks the reader through the various struggles on the road to freedom.  This book shows the hardship and trials that the people in the Underground Railroad went through. On a journey beginning in darkness, only some survived and witnessed the light of freedom. The struggles and hardships are worth it when freedom is finally found.

The illustrator and author of this book is Shane Evans. To create these illustrations, Shane started by drawing the pictures in pencil. As Shane drew, he did not erase. Later he took another sheet of paper and used paints and other materials to create the backdrop for the pencil drawings. After all of this, Shane would digitally combine the two pictures. He would put the penciled drawings on top of the back drop. He uses dark colors in the beginning of the book to signify pain and suffering. The only bright color seen is the yellow in the stars and lanterns. At the end of the book bright yellows and oranges are used to signify light and freedom.

            This book is appropriate for ages 4-8. I would use this book in a first grade classroom. This book could be read as an introduction to a history lesson on the Underground Railroad.  I might also read this book as an introduction to a science lesson on darkness for first graders. I would turn off all the lights and read the book to my first graders with a flash light. We would talk about darkness and what happens when light enters darkness. I would also use this book in a creative writing lesson to prompt my first graders to write about a time that they were scared in the dark. This book is a Coretta Scott King Award winning book.