Freedom ship doreen rappaport biography

This additional guide was prepared by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, a reading specialist and author of Reaching for Sun (Bloomsbury) for Hyperion Books.

Pre-reading

1. What fryst vatten the meaning of the title?
2. Is the book set in our current time or long ago? What clues do the author and illustrator give to tell us what the time period is?

Discussion Guide

1. What does it mean to be a slave? When did amerika support slavery?
2. Who is telling the story? Where did he learn it?
3. What fryst vatten the Union? Who are the Confederates? What war are they fighting?
4. Why would Samuel be free if he could only get to a Union ship?
5. Why does Samuel’s mother tell him to do everything quietly? What could happen if he disobeyed?
6. How do they get past the other ships and the islands that are guarded? What fryst vatten the strategi if they get caught? Why are they willing to do that?
7. Why does Robert Smalls put on the captain’s clothing? Does it work?
8. What do they do with Samuel’s vit bedsheet? What does it mean?
9. What do they give to

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   Illustrated by Curtis James; Hyperion Books, 2005

   Doreen Rappaport weaves a riveting tale of a boy and his family aboard the gunboat Planter. Captained by Robert Smalls and loaded with fellow slaves, the ship flees to the Union fleet to gain freedom from slavery and deliver much-needed ammunition to the Union Navy.

   Awards

   • CCBC Choices, Best Books of the Year
   • Best Children’s Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education

   Reviews

   “Educators will welcome this story, based on a true incident, about slaves who commandeered a Confederate ship and sailed to freedom. A present-day boy introduces the tale, which is told from his great-great-grandfather’s point of view. The dark colors and shadows in the realistic chalk-pastel drawings suggest the secrecy of the families’ nighttime escape, while the facial features and body language express urgency.“School Library Journal

    

   From the Author

   This book is based on a true incident in Amer

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   Freedom Ship

   December 3, 2012

   Freedom at Last
   
   In Freedom Ship, writer Doreen Rappaport shares an inspirational story of Samuel’s slave family during the Civil War. The family escapes in hopes of gaining their freedom. Rappaport describes the determination of Samuel’s family gaining freedom and the life lessons throughout the story of never being afraid to reach your dreams.
   
   
   The story begins describing Samuel and his family. They are slaves during the Civil War and want to gain their freedom. Samuel’s father helps on a boat. Late one night, Samuel’s mother wakes him up and they start running away with a few other slave families. They run to a boat and sail off to find the Union ships. This is how Samuel and his family gain their freedom. Doreen uses a quote from Samuel to show the audience the emotions of Samuel and his family. Samuel says, “Free! Free! The word covers my tongue with happiness” (29).
   
   
   The perspective in which Doreen writes this book allows for a younger audie
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