Across the Wide River by Stephanie Reed

ISBN-10: 0825435765

ISBN-13: 978-0825435768

Categories: Historical fiction, slavery, Underground Railroad

Ages: 8 and up

 

Across the Wide River by Stephanie Reed is the story is based on the true lives of the Rankin family, their efforts to help slaves gain freedom and their journey in helping to establish the pre-civil war Underground Railroad. It is a novel that shows how everyday, down to earth regular folk can make a difference in this world!

 

Here's a bit more from the publisher:

 

Lowry Rankin knows all too  well the cost of freedom; after all, his family's red brick home is the first stop on the Underground Railroad north of the Ohio River. 

 

He's seen friends beaten for the color of their skin. He's watched simple farmers make a difference. He's even risked his own life transporting escaped slaves to the next "station". 

 

But will Lowry be able to conquer his greatest fear when he's called to speak out?

I found Across the Wide River to be a really interesting, engaging and intensely emotional book. It is marketed as a "juvenile fiction" book but I believe it could easily be enjoyed by readers ages 8 and up.  

Ms. Reed's writing style brings history to life the struggles of that time period, the horrors of slavery and the journey that one family took in order to help their fellow man.  This story grabs you and it won't let you go even after you have finished this book. I highly recommend it! 

I plan on having my boys read this book and it's sequel, The Light Across the River by Stephanie Reed this year in our homeschool curriculum.  Here's a video excerpt of  the sequel -

Click here to find out more about both these wonderful books!

Many thanks to Stephanie Reed and Kregel publishing for the opportunity to review this book.