Picture Book #19--Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth

Title:  Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth

Author:  Anne Rockwell

Illustrator:  R. Gregory Christie

Grade Level Equivalent:  4.4

Lexile Measure:  AD790L

Genre:  Children's Literature

Subgenre:  Biography

Theme:  Standing up for what is right

Primary and Secondary Characters:  Isabella/Sojourner Truth, John Dumont, Isaac and Maria Van Wagener

Awards:  NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, (nominated 2001)

Coretta Scott King, (nominated 2001)

American Library Association Notable Books for Children, (won 2001)

Date of Publication:  2000

Publisher:  Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN:  0679891862

Only Passing Through tells the story of a slave by the name of Isabella, a story I had not heard before this assignment.  As a child, Isabella was sold into slavery.  Even though she was tall and strong and would only grow to be stronger, no one bid on her.  Finally, the auctioneer threw in a herd of sheep so that Isabella would fetch a bid, which she did.  Her first master was cruel to her because she did not speak English at first.  Finally she was sold to John Dumont, who Isabella liked at first.  After some time, Isabella was given to another slave to be married.  They had five children together.  A few years later, John Dumont told Isabella that since she had been such a hard worker he would give her her freedom in a year's time.  A promise that he went back on.  Isabella ran away and stayed at Isaac and Maria Van Wagener's house, a white couple who believed that slavery was wrong.  When Dumont came looking for Isabella, Mr. Van Wagener offered him twenty dollars for her.  The Van Wagener's then set Isabella free.  Once she got her freedom, she went to get her children, only to discover that her son had been sold out of the state--which was illegal.  Using the knowledge about state laws she had gained from the Van Wageners', Isabella took Dumont to court and won, getting custody of her son back.  She was the first black woman--and first slave ever--to take a white man to court and win.  With this new power, Isabella changed her name to Sojourner Truth and set out to spread her story across the land. 

This book was so good.  I loved reading it.  I was never taught about Sojourner Truth in school so it was a new story all together for me.  I loved reading about a slave woman who had enough gumption to take a white man to court and fight for her rights.  This book would be excellent to have in a classroom.  It would do students good to hear the story of this amazing woman.  It could also spark a creative writing assignment.  Something like "What would you do if you were in Sojourner Truth's place?  Would you be as strong as she was?"  There are so many options for classroom use for this book.