A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass

A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass by David A. Adler, illustrated b Samuel Byrd, Holliday House, New York, 1993.
Frederick Douglass is not his name at birth.  His given name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey.  He was born to a slave women, who only saw him a few times after his birth as they were separated by twelve miles.  The nights she walked to see him she had to walk back by morning or risk being beaten.  Frederick was introduce early to the world of slavery, lack of clothes, poor food, and beatings. 
However at age eight he was sent to live with Sophia and Hugh Auld.  Sophia didn't know better and taught Frederick the alphabet, and intended to teach him to read, until her husband informed her teaching a slave to read was illegal.  However he would carry a book with him, and poor white children helped him continue his desire to red.  Frederick attended Sunday School, and at sage fourteen taught at the Sunday School. 
Frederick was later sent to other people as a slave.  One farmer beat him regularly, until Frederick fought back.  He continued a Sunday School, and clandestinely teaching slaves to read.
Frederick's first escape attempt was discovered, and he landed in jail.  He was sure he would be sent to the Deep South, but instead returned to the home of the Aulds in Baltimore. 
From there he made good his escape.  A freed slave gave him money, and a sailor lent him documents to prove he was not a slave.  He traveled North to freedom.  He settled in New York, and sent for the woman who helped him, Anna Murray.  They were married.  Frederick changed his name to Douglas at this time for fear of being recaptured.
He eventually went to work for the Liberator an abolitionist paper.  He published an autobiography, in which he divulged his real name and slave owners.  He went to Europe for fear of capture, always talking against slavery.  He returned to America after some friends his bought his freedom.
After his return he started his own paper The Northern Star.  
Douglass continued to be instrumental in Black causes.  During the Civil War he helped raise an African American infantry unit.  He complained of the difference in wages and quality of arms, but President Lincoln asked him to be patient.  At the conclusion of the war he was invited to the White House as the president's friend. 
Douglass continued in government over the years.  After his wife passed away he married a white woman.  Frederick Douglass was an initial proponent of African American causes and rights.  He also stood for rights of women and others.

Book Review: The Day of the Dead: Dia de los Muertos

The Day of the Dead: Dia de los Muertos, photography by Denis Defibaugh, text by Ward S. Albro, TCU Press, Fort Worth, 2007.

This book is enjoyable for the pictures of the many Day of the Dead celebrations attended over the years by the photographer.  He focuses on Oaxaca and the surrounding smaller communities.  He starts exploring death and death rituals, he then goes into the Day of the Dead markets.  Many different types of cakes are manufactured and sold.  Also flowers, and candles, and chocolates.  Mescal (alcoholic beverage) and Mexican hot chocolate are also important parts of the celebration.  He explores the great parades that are held as part of the celebration.  He also looks at private ceremonies, and the great memorials which are built into the houses to honor their dead.  He looks at public celebrations, masks and dancers are common.  He finally looks generally at the people of Oaxaca.  This would make a good coffee table book with all the pictures, most in black and white, but some in color.

Book Review: Let's Read About...Martin Luther King, Jr.

Let's Read About martin Luther King, Jr. by Courtney Baker, Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, Scholistic, New York, 2001.
This is a very good book about the childhood of Martin Luther King, and the things that would effect him in later life.  It explains the circumstances of his developing a dream that children would be able to live together, no matter the color of their skin.

Book Review: Henry's Freedom Box

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad, by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, Scholastic Press, New York, 2007.  Caldecott Honor Book.
This is a fascinating and beautifully illustrated telling of the story of Henry Box Brown.  He is the man who sent himself to freedom.  This was not without risk.  Even though they had painted "This side up" on the box, people did not always looking at the writing, and he suffered a bad time being upside down with the blood rushing to his head.
The book also explores his reason for escaping to freedom.  He was motivated by the loss of his wife and children.  Although he had been allowed to marry, his wife belonged to someone else, and she and the children were sold.  He watched helplessly as the took them away.  I want my children and grandchildren to know that people had to struggle for freedom in our country, and that others were willing to sacrifice to help them in this pursuit.

Book Review: The Civil War: 1861-1865

The Civil War: 1861-1865: An Interactive Package of Image and Text, by David E. Roth, Smithmark, New York, 1992.
This is a coffee table book with the first third of the book dedicated to text, and then the rest of the book an illustrated history of the Civil War.  The illustrations include actual photographs, sketches, newspaper advertisements and headlines.  It offers a very extensive collection and covers the period of the war, with even some of the period of reconstruction included.  This has been a good read as the descriptions of the pictures provide a great deal of information.  CD rom was included which offers uncopyrighted versions of the pictures for person use.  This include pictures of President Lincoln and Davis, General Lee and Grant (and all the other Union commanders.)  It also has a very nice section of Navy pictures.  This collection is very complete.

Book Review: Looking at Lincoln

Looking at Lincoln, Maira Kalman, Nancy Paulsen Books, New York, 2012.

This is a children’s picture book, consequently the art is part of the story.  At first I thought is wasn’t going to include any history, but just a little girl’s story.  However, it did put some basic ideas in the story.  He was born in log cabin in Kentucky, his mother died when he was young, but he had a good relationship with his stepmother.  She encouraged him to read.  They moved to a log cabin in Illinois, and from there he became a lawyer in Springfield.  One of his friends was the first officer killed in the war, removing a Confederate flag from a boarding house in Alexandria.  He gave the Gettysburg Address, and one of the last speeches he gave included this line, “With malice toward none, with charity for all.”

This book is better viewed as an artistic expression. The art work is fantastic.