Summary: this book tells of life briefly before the emancipation proclamation and after. It discusses that even after slaves were free it was still hard to survive and the steps taken to make it easier .

Personal reaction: I really enjoyed this book because often children are overlooked during history. I think the book gives a good basic understanding of the end of slavery.

Extension Ideas: learn about the underground railroad. learn about the civil war. ( )

I really like the series called Picture the American Past. I love the photos and artwork the book uses to show the reader what things were like in the past.

I learned something new from this book and was kind of angry about it. It discussed the Emancipation Proclamation and how it freed slaves from states that were in rebellion. I was always taught that this document freed the slaves. Apparently, I was taught incorrectly. I can't believe that this document didn't force states of the Union or those under Union control to free there slaves as well. Guess Lincoln wasn't ready to give up his free help.

This book would be an excellent resource to use when teaching students about the Civil War. Some of the pictures are graphic. It explains in great detail how the slaves lived. This book also included excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation. It includes a list of other books on the topic, a glossary, an index, and a timeline. They touch on important people at the time (ex. Harriet Tubman) and I believe this would lead to students wanting more information on this topic. ( )