(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bryan Collier. During the Civil War, an enslaved man plans a daring escape. Robert Smalls steers a Confederate ship through Charleston Harbor with his wife, their children, and twelve other enslaved people on board. Their mission, to reach a Union blockade just beyond the harbor, was a “life-or-death voyage.” Moore builds the drama and suspense in the story of his great-grandfather’s escape (contextualized in an author’s note) with careful pacing, and the dangerous journey comes to life through beautiful, collage-style illustrations that capture the escapees’ emotions.

Reviewer:

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Poppy Kang. In 1862, enslaved crewman Robert Smalls planned and executed an audacious, dangerous nighttime hijack of a Confederate warship, piloting ten miles into Union-controlled waters--and thereby rescuing himself and fifteen others from slavery. The text clearly relates the story while also maintaining intense suspense and drama. Illustrations are rather bland and static but help establish setting and atmosphere. Reading list. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Duane Smith. Smalls, a slave who worked as a ship's wheelman, executed a plot to maneuver his ship into Union waters, rescuing himself, his family, and other slaves. The saga is exciting, and Smith's paintings capture the story vividly, with strongly defined brush strokes, rich colors, and intense facial expressions. An afterword fills in Smalls's story (he went on to become a congressman). Bib.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(3) 4-6 Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s American Heroes series. Illustrated by Patrick Faricy. Robert Smalls, a slave and skilled sailor, maneuvers a ship manned by other slaves past guards in South Carolina to freedom. He later becomes a congressman. The text's wordiness is counterbalanced by the fast pace and heroism of this Civil War tale. Occasional illustrations, both full-page and double-page spread paintings and black-and-white spot art, ably display the story's drama. Bib.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith