Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad

by Pamela Duncan Edwards, Henry Cole (Illustrator)

Overview

In the dark of the night a Barefoot, an escaped slave, flees for his life. With his pursuers close behind and the moon shrouded in clouds, Barefoot must rely on the wisdom of the wild animals of the forest and swamp to guide him to the safety of the underground railroad.
Innovative perspective and use of light and a spare text result in an unforgettable portrayal of one slave's journey to freedom.

"Another outstanding collaboration from the duo responsible for Some Smug Slug."—starred review/School Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780064435192
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/01/1999
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,069,135
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.07(d)
Lexile:	640L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Pamela Duncan Edwards is the author of numerous popular picture books, including Livingstone Mouse; Roar! A Noisy Counting Book; Some Smug Slug; The Worrywarts; Clara Caterpillar; Wake-Up Kisses; Rosie's Roses; The Leprechaun's Gold; and Gigi and Lulu's Gigantic Fight, all illustrated by Henry Cole; as well as Dear Tooth Fairy, illustrated by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick; McGillycuddy Could!, illustrated by Sue Porter; and The Neat Line, illustrated by Diana Cain Bluthenthal. She lives in Virginia.

Henry Cole was a celebrated science teacher for many years before turning his talents to children’s books. He has worked on nearly one hundred and fifty books for children, including Unspoken, Big Bug, A Nest for Celeste, Jack’s Garden, and On Meadowview Street. Henry loves being outside, where he can sketch and write. His favorite sound is the first robin song of the spring. You can visit him online at www.henrycole.net.

Editorial Reviews

"A taut, involving narrative and dramatic, shadow-filled full-spread art" adopt woodland animals' perspectives to tell of a runaway slave's flight, said PW. Ages 5-9. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

K-Gr 3Another outstanding collaboration by the duo responsible for Some Smug Slug (Harper, 1996). Here the tone is serious. The Barefoot is an escaping slave whose flight is aided by the wild animals of forest and swamp. The frog's croak guides him to water, while a nesting squirrel leads him to cover himself with leaves. When the Heavy Bootsslave catchersdraw near, mosquitoes swarm heavily around them and a deer leads them away into the forest. Fireflies light the Barefoot's way to a house on the Underground Railroad and safety while the animals are still alert for another Barefoot. Edwards's spare text builds suspense while Cole's paintings gradually reveal more of the slave and his pursuers. At first, only feet are seen. Though more and more of his body is depicted, it is only in the penultimate double-page spread that readers see the young man's face. Cole's nocturnal illustrations are suitably dark yet they are not difficult to see, and they use light effectively to focus viewers' eyes on specific parts of the picture. Readers will feel as if they are in the swamp with the runaway, their eyes gradually becoming aware of nuances of the scene as they adjust to the darkness. The generous-sized, handsome white typeface is easy to read against the dark background. Teachers will want to use this title with such books as F. N. Monjo's The Drinking Gourd (Harper, 1970) when teaching about slavery and the Underground Railroad, while in public libraries Barefoot will be perfect for programs on African-American history.Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

School Library Journal

The story of one slave's escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad, as seen from the perspective of the watchful creatures of the night who speed him on his way.

The "Barefoot" refers to the slave who has taken flight through dark woods, "fearful of what lay before him [and] terrified of what lay behind." Heron, squirrel, mouse, deer, and frog see and hear the slave, and close behind, the Heavy Boots who pursue him. The creaking frog leads the Barefoot to fresh water, a hungry field mouse shows him which berries to eat. Finally he comes to a "stop" on the Underground Railroad—a cabin he recognizes by the quilt that is hanging out front. Readers will need some suspension of disbelief to determine whether the night creatures are "helping": Mosquitoes bite only the Heavy Boots, the deer leads the pursuers far away, lightning bugs show the Barefoot the quilt when the moon goes under a cloud. Nevertheless, Edwards and Cole (Some Smug Slug, p. 528, etc.) create a moving story that conveys the terror that drove slaves to flee plantations, risking their lives for freedom.

Kirkus Reviews