William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad

by Don Tate

Overview

From award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate comes a remarkable picture book biography of William Still, known as Father of the Underground Railroad.

William Still's parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. One day, a strangely familiar man came into William's office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be?

Motivated by his own family's experience, William Still began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry "Box" Brown, and William and Ellen Craft.

Award-winning author-illustrator Don Tate brings to life the incredible, true story of William Still, a man who dedicated his life to recording the stories of enslaved people fleeing to freedom. Tate's powerful words and artwork are sure to inspire young readers in this first-ever picture book biography of the Father of the Underground Railroad.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682636312
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	10/03/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	652,871
Product dimensions:	10.98(w) x 9.72(h) x 0.15(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Don Tate grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, where he learned about Black history at the Center for Study and Application of Black Theology. He grew up to become an author and illustrator of numerous award-winning children's books, including It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw and Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton, both of received Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor awards. He lives in Austin, Texas.

Editorial Reviews

★ "Gentle and straightforward prose. . . The text recounts the oppression and dehumanization of slavery but is not too graphic for the target age demographic. . . . Tate's expressive, colorful illustrations work well with the text to convey this important part of American history. . . . This inspirational true story combines fact with a very readable narrative, spotlighting a pivotal figure in the abolitionist movement. A book that deserves a place on school and public library shelves." —School Library Journal, Starred Review

★ "Tate's sentences are often short, underscoring Still's effort and drive; when they occasionally lengthen, they land with a punch. . . His paintings often likewise play out in vignettes that capture action over time then linger lovingly on the expressive faces of his characters. Brings deserved attention to the life of a man who dedicated himself to recording the lives of others." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"The digital illustrations portray [Still] effectively from infancy to old age. . . . In this concisely written, informative picture-book biography, Tate introduces a man who deserves to be more widely known." —Booklist

★ "[A] clear, comprehensive narrative. . . .Graceful free verse. . . Textural digital illustrations and expressive characters punctuate the affecting text. . . An illuminating picture book biography of a lesser-known hero." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"[A] thorough and informative picture-book biography. . . . Tate's writing style is generally engaging and accessible. Rich acrylic illustrations are perfectly matched with a poetic narrative that celebrates the subject and conveys the realities of the times." —The Horn Book Magazine

"Striking illustrations with approachable text. . . The legacy of an American hero is told here using accessible, factual text; lifelike illustrations rendered digitally; and informative backmatter. . . An alluring picture book."—Shelf Awareness

"Tate's short sentences and accessible language convey the urgency of Still's work, and his illustrations sensitively communicate the danger and terror faced by enslaved people. . . .There's plenty of hope here, too."—BookPage

From the Publisher

★ 11/16/2020

Author-illustrator Tate (Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters) profiles abolitionist William Still in this clear, comprehensive narrative. Graceful free verse opens on Still’s family history: Levin and Sidney Steel escaped enslavement in Maryland—the former by buying his freedom, the latter by escaping with the couple’s two daughters—but their two sons were left behind. Reuniting and changing their name to Still, the couple grew their family in New Jersey, until William was born in 1821 as the youngest of 15. Tate concisely details Still’s schooling, his hiring at age 26 as the office clerk for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, and a fortuitous meeting with an Underground Railroad passenger that led Still to transcribe the stories of each freedom seeker he met. Textural digital illustrations and expressive characters punctuate the affecting text (“Peter’s story was sad. Tragic./ Miraculous. And extraordinary./ And Peter’s story restored his family”). An illuminating picture book biography of a lesser-known hero. Back matter includes a timeline, an author’s note about the book’s inspiration, and a bibliography. Ages 6–10. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 10/01/2020

Gr 1–5—In gentle and straightforward prose, Tate describes the extraordinary life of Black abolitionist William Still. Still's father, mother, and siblings were enslaved on a Maryland farm in the 1700s. Still's father, Levin, purchased his freedom and headed north. Still's mother, Sidney, later escaped with her two daughters. After the family settled in Washington Township, NJ, they changed their last name from Steel to Still in order to protect themselves from slave catchers. Their family grew to 15 children. In 1821, Still was born. As a young boy, Still helped enslaved people escape by guiding them through the woods. As an adult, he secured a job as the office clerk for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. He worked hard to earn the respect of his employers and one day became the manager. Still was instrumental in the abolitionist movement. His home served as a "station" on the Underground Railroad, and he recorded the stories of people who were enslaved in order to reunite them with their families. The text recounts the oppression and dehumanization of slavery but is not too graphic for the target age demographic. Near the end of the narrative, readers will be pleased to learn about a surprise family reunion that was the direct result of Still's work. Tate's expressive, colorful illustrations work well with the text to convey this important part of American history. VERDICT This inspirational true story combines fact with a very readable narrative, spotlighting a pivotal figure in the abolitionist movement. A book that deserves a place on school and public library shelves.—Margaret Nunes, formerly at Gwinnett County P.L., GA

School Library Journal

Narrator Adam Lazarre-White has a deep, sonorous voice that lends dignity and importance to this picture-book biography of William Still, a lesser-known but major figure in the Underground Railroad system. Still was born free to formerly enslaved parents and later worked for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. Mood-setting music and the sounds of nature accentuate milestones in Still’s life, culminating in his secret nighttime trip to hide the incriminating but vital personal stories of freedom seekers he’d aided. These meticulously kept records later helped reunite families separated by slavery. Without benefit of the picture book, however, listeners will be perplexed by a section of truncated, trailing sentences and the sound of voices over voices—an attempt to auditorily replicate an image in the picture book of the many stories Still recorded in his book. L.T. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2021 - AudioFile

★ 2020-09-29
William Still’s chance encounter with his long-lost brother changed the course of his life and those of many other African Americans striving for freedom.

When Sidney Still escaped slavery in Maryland to join her husband, Levin, in New Jersey with their two daughters, she left their two sons behind. There, the family grew until William was born in 1821, youngest of 15. Tate’s economical, urgent narrative lays out these facts before recounting how young William struggled to balance education with chores and Northern racism, At 26, he landed an office-clerk position at the Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia and eventually opened his home as a “station” along the Underground Railroad. Finally meeting his older brother Peter during the latter’s escape inspired Still to gather identifying information and stories of the runaways he assisted, work that was instrumental in reuniting families who had become separated and that became a chronicle of “slavery’s nightmare.” Tate’s sentences are often short, underscoring Still’s effort and drive; when they occasionally lengthen, they land with a punch: “With three dollars in his pocket, and a billion dollars in pride, William planted himself north of the Delaware River in east Philadelphia.” His paintings often likewise play out in vignettes that capture action over time then linger lovingly on the expressive faces of his characters.

Brings deserved attention to the life of a man who dedicated himself to recording the lives of others. (timeline, author’s note, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews