"There's two things I got a right to and these are Death and Liberty. If I could not have one, I would have the other."
-- Harriet Tubman
Bibliography
Schroder, Alan. 1996. Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN: 0803718896
Plot Summary
Alan Schroeder tells the story of young Harriet Tubman. Minty, an eight year old, rebels against her owner’s authority as much as possible. When we first meet Minty, she is a house slave. After spilling a pitcher of cider on the table, Mrs. Brodas decides she is too clumsy for the housework and sends her to the fields. While doing work in the fields, Minty's urge to run away and gain freedom magnifies. Her father teaches her how to survive on her own and in the wild, so one day she can be prepared to run away.
Critical Analysis
This is a gripping tale of how life was like on a plantation in the mid 1800’s. Harriet is portrayed as an intelligent, kind and spunky girl who wishes to be free. Her parents and other adult slaves are also strong and intelligent but are also worried that Harriet, or Minty, will be hurt and “sold south”. One can feel the love and fear that these parents express as she shares her desire to run away. Young readers are introduced to slavery through the eyes of a young child. Children will relate to Minty and be able to understand just how important Harriet Tubman was to the fight for freedom. Jerry Pinkney illustrated this beautiful book with pencil, colored pencil and watercolors. His illustrations are full of color and show the beauty of Minty and her family. Facial expressions of fear and pain and also love and kindness are portrayed in such a way as to make readers feel the story. One especially beautiful illustration is on the page that shows Old Ben, Minty’s father, showing her the North Star and the Big Dipper. The night sky is aglow with stars and the deep midnight blue seems restful amidst the horrible life they live. Schorder’s strong text and Pinkney’s beautiful illustrations help readers understand the lives that slaves lived. The characters are portrayed in a culturally appropriate context- both the slaves and the white slave owners. This book is a great way to introduce young readers to the themes of slavery, the loyalty of families and doing the right thing.
Review Excerpts
Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, 1996)
A fictionalized account based on fact details the early life of Harriet Tubman, whose 'cradle name' was Araminta, and who would later become a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Quick action and dialogue create a taut story and clearly depict Minty's strong-willed nature and her desire for freedom. Pinkney's watercolors provide detail and depth in this intriguing and emotional portrait.
Jan Lieberman (Children's Literature)
Alan Schroeder tells a gripping tale. Minty is independent, feisty and incapable of being a docile slave. Her dream of freedom burns brightly even when she is whipped for freeing muskrats from her master's traps. Little is known about Tubman's childhood, but from his research, Schroeder believes that this story might have happened. Pinkney's paintings are powerful and add to the drama of the story. A fictional telling often more successful than pure facts for it puts the sufferings of slaves in human terms that touch the heart.
Connections
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Christopher Awards, 1997 Winner Ages 6-9 United States
Coretta Scott King Book Award, 1997 Winner Illustrator United States
Golden Kite Award, 1996 Honor Book Illustration United States
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 1998 Winner Gr. 4-8 Kentucky
Lesson Plans and Activities:
http://www.econed.org/html/lessons/data/Minty.pdf
http://www.harriettubmanstudy.org/bibliography.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/index.html
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/tubman.html
Downloadable audio can be found at this site:
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