True North: A Novel of the Underground Railroad

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Summary: True North, by Kathryn Lasky
Review: A well-written story about the underground railroad,"True North" is about a young, witty fourteen-year old, Lucy, and her grandfather. The story takes place in 19th century America at the height of the aboloitionists and slave disputes. Lucy is a wealthy girl raised in Massachusetts. She is very much different than her four other sisters. Lucy is not at all interested in getting dressed up and going to parties, but would rather learn from her grandfather about the human body or birds. She does not know very much about slavery, only that her parents do not agree on whether it is right or wrong. Her mother was raised in the south, and her father in the north. Lucy is very close to her grandfather, who is a doctor. She feels that she knows him very well. However, as time passes, Lucy cracks his codes and finds out that he is a conductor and stationmaster in the underground railroad. He lets her go with him on one of his adventures, and Lucy is glad to be a part of it. After his passing, Lucy finds herself in a situation where she must help 14-year-old runaway slave, Afrika. A friendship develops throughout the story between the two girls and each learns an important lesson about human kindness. This story depicts this time in America very well. I would suggest this book to anyone who does not know about slavery in America during this time. It would be a great book to use as early as fifth grade. It shows the sad history of our country and slavery, and why there was so much hatred between the two races during this time. Kathryn Lasky does a great job of developing a fictional story with many interwoven facts throughout it. It is the perfect way to get the facts across while making the story interesting.

Rating:
Summary: True North, by Kathryn Lasky
Review: A well-written story about the underground railroad,"True North" is about a young, witty fourteen-year old, Lucy, and her grandfather. The story takes place in 19th century America at the height of the aboloitionists and slave disputes. Lucy is a wealthy girl raised in Massachusetts. She is very much different than her four other sisters. Lucy is not at all interested in getting dressed up and going to parties, but would rather learn from her grandfather about the human body or birds. She does not know very much about slavery, only that her parents do not agree on whether it is right or wrong. Her mother was raised in the south, and her father in the north. Lucy is very close to her grandfather, who is a doctor. She feels that she knows him very well. However, as time passes, Lucy cracks his codes and finds out that he is a conductor and stationmaster in the underground railroad. He lets her go with him on one of his adventures, and Lucy is glad to be a part of it. After his passing, Lucy finds herself in a situation where she must help 14-year-old runaway slave, Afrika. A friendship develops throughout the story between the two girls and each learns an important lesson about human kindness. This story depicts this time in America very well. I would suggest this book to anyone who does not know about slavery in America during this time. It would be a great book to use as early as fifth grade. It shows the sad history of our country and slavery, and why there was so much hatred between the two races during this time. Kathryn Lasky does a great job of developing a fictional story with many interwoven facts throughout it. It is the perfect way to get the facts across while making the story interesting.

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Summary: True North = True Boredom
Review: As my school's academic pentathalon's required reading, I began to read this book believing that this would be an intriguing, insightful book, but I soon learned that I was wrong. As I followed the main character, Afrika, on her journey through the Underground Railroad, my mind quickly began to follow sleep cycles as the plot dragged on and on about an escaping slave and a spoiled Massachusetts girl. As an insult to literature and an irksome task to read, this book is even too small to serve as a functioning doorstop. After building up the Massachusetts girl's character through the entire book, her character only is relevant to the main plot near the end of the book. If it is at all within your power or if you value yourself, refrain from reading this book; but if you believe in self-torture, this is the book for you!

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Summary: I am an 8th grader at FMS.
Review: I loved the book and it is a good one to read for projects. It is by an author who writes very good history stories. It stays to the truth about slavery, abolitionists, and the dangers of the Underground Railroad. I think that it is a book that I will love to read over and over again. It even has a happy ending and the importance of friendships in it! I am 14 and I throughly enjoyed it. I didn't even get bored. I got sucked into it and that happens to me rarely! I read it in only 2 days and it had just the right amount of action in it!

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Summary: True North
Review: I loved this book! I enjoyed it very much, it is a great book for people who like historical ficion!

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Summary: A good introduction to the underground railroad
Review: I teach seventh and eighth grade English and searched far and wide for a good novel about cultures. This book has characters my students could relate to and enough action to keep them hooked. It contrasts the lives of two girls, one escaping slavery and the other escaping the "rules" of the upper-class. What was best, though, are the issues raised that sparked discussion, including ethics, civil disobedience, and taking risks.

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Summary: Great book, Laskey is awesome...
Review: I was told to pick this book up by my teacher to get a better understanding, it's another storey. I saw it was Kathryn Laskey, and I knew it would be a page turner. Afrika has escaped and it doesnt help her when she has to kill two men, it just raises her price. Lucy is an abolitionest, and is trying to help the slaves to Canada. Their paths cross, and they'll never forget it. I'll garentee you'll like it if you've read Laskey's work. She's my faveorite author.

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Summary: True North By Kathryn Lasky-a good read
Review: In this book there are two main characters. They are Lucy and Afrika. Afrika is a slave who is running away to the north. Lucy is a wealthy girl who lives in Boston. After Lucy's Grandfather dies she finds Afrika in a closet in her grandfather's house. It turns out he worked for an organization that helped slaves escape from the south. Now Lucy has to help Afrika get to freedom. This book is entertaining and gives you and idea of two very different people's lives. I highly recomened this book, especially for girls because it is about two girls.

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Summary: One of the Best pre-Civil War Novels ever printed.
Review: Lasky has captured the flavor of the pre-Civil War era with out being preachy as to the evil of slavery. She leads us through two separate lives to let us make our own judgements as to the question of Slavery. Lasky also weaves other issues of the time within her novel. Secret societies dedicated to there capture of escaped slaves and the Fugitive Slave Law. This got to be the best fictional novel for this time perid this year

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Summary: Simply the Worst Book Ever
Review: Reading this book is by far the most boring thing I have ever done in my enitre life. I would rather poke my eyes out than ever read this book again. The plot consists of a girl named Afrika, a slave who is trying to escape to Canada. Simultaneously, a completely unneccesary, boring side plot is thrown in about a girl named Lucy, who is a selfish brat who cares only about herself. The entire book she complains about her sister's wedding. Only during the last few pages does Lucy contribute anything at all to the main plot. If not for Lucy, this would be a mediocre book. Whatever you do, stay clear from this book.