Publishers Weekly
11/29/2021
Castrovilla spotlights the actions of a little-known contributor to the end of slavery: a Black freedom seeker named George Scott, who assisted white Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler “to track down the Confederates” who threatened Fortress Monroe, a Union military base in Virginia, in 1861. Scott’s heroic feat led Butler to write a letter to President Lincoln “arguing for Scott’s liberty—and for that of all the contrabands,” or the freedom seekers who sought refuge at the Fortress. Bolded headings track time as action-centered diction moves the plot forward: “Scott peered at the bridge to Fortress Monroe. He’d arrived to see eight more Negroes headed inside.” Immersive watercolor art by Caldecott Honoree Lewis presents realistic portraits and natural landscapes with dramatic use of light and shadow in this well-paced historical narrative. Extensive back matter includes further historical context as well as a bibliography. Ages 7–10. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
ALSC Notable Children's Book
CCBC Choices 2023
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids
Bank Street Best Book of the Year
★ "Besides telling [George] Scott’s dramatic story, the narrative highlights [Benjamin] Butler’s pivotal decision to regard people who escaped slavery as contraband—a legal strategy enabling the U.S. Army to protect them. With a muted palette featuring grays, greens, browns, and pale, tawny yellows, Lewis creates a series of haunting watercolor paintings that make Scott’s story intense and memorable. This beautifully illustrated picture book enables readers to see the Civil War from a different point of view." —Booklist, starred review
★ "This is a thrilling tale of bravery and cunning, the courage of [George] Scott, and the shrewd actions of General [Benjamin] Butler...Fascinating facts combine with vivid illustrations in a truly powerful recounting of a crucial point in history." —School Library Connection, starred review
★ "This little-known glimpse of Civil War history fills in gaps that are so essential in creating a fuller picture of the history of this country...This is an important and essential addition to all books on American history, the American Civil War and Black history." —Youth Services Book Review, starred review
"The story of how two men and a fortress paved the way to freedom for an entire population. The succinct text allows the art to take center stage while relaying pertinent information... rich backmatter... gives a more in-depth look. The watercolor illustrations present eye-catching images... (a) dramatic, superbly illustrated account of a little-known story." —Kirkus Reviews
"Castrovilla spotlights the actions of a little-known contributor to the end of slavery: a Black freedom seeker named George Scott... Bolded headings track time as action-centered diction moves the plot forward. Immersive watercolor art by Caldecott Honoree Lewis presents realistic portraits and natural landscapes with dramatic use of light and shadow in this well-paced historical narrative." —Publishers Weekly
"A true story from the Civil War offers insight into a little-known aspect of African American history. Castrovilla’s straightforward narrative style makes the events readily accessible to readers who are interested in this complex era of American history. Lewis’s atmospheric watercolors convey themes of urgency and humanity.” —The Horn Book
“Castrovilla keeps the Scott/Butler story focused and taut, relegating historical context and legalese to well-organized end matter that also includes biographical sketches of the two protagonists. Lewis’ atmospheric watercolors ably convey the tenebrous forest and battle settings in which Scott risked his life, highlighting the heroism of a man who slipped out of and then back into history’s shadow.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Much of the history of Black people in this country has been omitted, ignored, or rendered insignificant by those who write about American history. Without that history, the American story and world history are grossly incomplete. Thankfully, today, more books are being published that accurately spotlight the Black experience. Seeking Freedom: The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America tells a story I did not know and is one that should be told!” —Wade Hudson, author of Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South and Recognize: An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life
Kirkus Reviews
2021-10-13
The story of how two men and a fortress paved the way to freedom for an entire population.
It is May 1861, and George Scott—a formerly enslaved man hiding in the Virginia town of Hampton—hears the story of three Black men’s escape to a nearby Union fortress. Remarkably, the three men were not returned. After seeing more Black men enter the fortress, Scott decides to have a look for himself. Upon entering Fortress Monroe, he meets Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler, who interviews newcomers and seeks information about the Confederate soldiers. Butler quickly becomes impressed with Scott’s knowledge of the area and the Confederacy and sends Scott on a special mission—to track the soldiers and relay their whereabouts. Scott’s efforts—and Butler’s decision to keep formerly enslaved people as contraband—save the fortress and contribute to the passing of the Confiscation Act of 1861. The succinct text allows the art to take center stage while relaying pertinent information. What is lost to the brief text is put on display in the rich backmatter, which gives a more in-depth look at life for the contraband and the effect of Butler’s decision to turn the fortress into a place of refuge. The watercolor illustrations present eye-catching images; readers can nearly feel the rough texture of the very woods Scott ran through. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A dramatic, superbly illustrated account of a little-known story. (notes on the aftermath, the contrabands, Benjamin Butler's legacy, George Scott, and Fort Monroe; bibliography; the proclamation on the establishment of the Fort Monroe National Monument) (Informational picture book. 7-10)
