La Segunda and I have been (re)reading this book over the past few weeks - we can't put it down! Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, by Carole Boston Weatherford and Kadir Nelson. The pictures are amazing. But what has captivated me is the book's description of prayer. I think this book captures "how to talk with God" perfectly. In my experience, it's not easy to hear God's voice, but oftentimes, when I look back, I can see where I felt God's guidance. Harriet seeks God's help and we can see how he guided her. This is the best book I've seen for children or adults, that describes prayer so well.
Here's the review from the Powell's Bookstore site:
Here's the review from the Powell's Bookstore site:
"In this gorgeous, poetic picture book, Weatherford (The Sound that Jazz Makes) depicts Harriet Tubman's initial escape from slavery and her mission to lead others to freedom as divinely inspired, and achieved by steadfast faith and prayer. The author frames the text as an ongoing dialogue between Tubman and God, inserting narration to move the action along. On the eve of her being sold and torn from her family, Tubman prays in her despair. In response, 'God speaks in a whip-poor-will's song. 'I set the North Star in the heavens and I mean for you to be free.' ' The twinkling star encourages Tubman: 'My mind is made up. Tomorrow, I flee.' The book's elegant design clearly delineates these elements — Harriet's words in italic, God's calming words in all caps drifting across the pages, the narrator's words in roman typeface — and makes this read like a wholly engrossing dramatic play. Nelson's (He's Got the Whole World in His Hands) finely rendered oil and watercolor paintings, many set in the rural inky darkness of night, give his protagonist a vibrant, larger-than-life presence, befitting a woman who became known as the Moses of her people. His rugged backdrops and intense portraits convey all the emotion of Tubman's monumental mission. A foreword introduces the concept of slavery for children and an author's note includes a brief biography of Tubman. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
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