Seven Miles To Freedom 

THE ROBERT SMALLS STORY

Author: Janet Halfmann

Illustrator: Duane Smith 

Date Published: 2008 

About the book: Seven Miles to Freedom is the compelling account of the daring escape of Robert Smalls, a slave steamboat wheelman who became one of the Civil War's greatest heroes. His steadfast courage in the face of adversity is an inspiring model for all who attempt to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. 

Summary: Growing up a slave in South Carolina, Robert Smalls always dreamed of the moment freedom would be within his grasp. Now that moment was here. Robert stood proudly at the Planter's wheel. Only seven miles of water lay between the ship and the chance of freedom in Union territory. With precision and amazing courage, he navigated past the Confederate forts in the harbor and steered the ship toward the safety of the Union fleet. Just one miscalculation would be deadly, but for Robert, his family, and his crewmates, the risk was worth taking.

Genre: The genre of the book is Biography and the format is picturebook. "Biography tells about a real person's life. The subject of biography are usually people who are famous, such as national leaders, artists, sports figures, writers, or explores, but there are also many biographies and memoir that are about ordinary people who do extraordinary things." (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe. 2010, p.18) This book speaks about the real life story of Robert Smalls, the events surrounding his escape to freedom and his contribution in the civil war. 

Illustration: 

  

To me, the illustrator has a Combining Style of Art. One style of art the illustrators uses is an abstract, Impressionistic Art style. "Impressionist artists emphasize light and color; they create a fleeting impression of reality." (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe. 2010, p.83) This style of art reminds me of Ed Young's Lon Po Po. These two style of art are almost identical. The other style of art can be classified as Folk Art. "Folk Art is a broad designation for the style of artistic expression of a particular culture group." (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe. 2010, p.83) The technique used in creating the illustration is painting and the medium used are acrylic paint and brushes. The illustrator's use of the elements of visual art is immaculate. The lines are not well defined yet they create these astonishing figures. The use of colors that complement each other, the different tint and shades of the many colors, varied lines of different size, length and width, and the way the illustrator uses light to play upon these colors. The texture the brush and paint creates on the canvas is mind-blowing as this adds character to the illustrations. The use of negative and positive space, the variety, the emphasis, and the strategic placement and selection is next to none. This work demonstrates balance and unity. Well done Duane Smith.   

Motivational Activity:                          Black History Month 

• Activity 1 - Before Reading Questions. 

1. What is slavery? 
2. What do you know about slavery in the United States?
3. What do you know about the Civil War? 
4. Do you know any famous African American? If yes, Who? Tell us about them.

Readers Response Journal

This will prompt active reading and students must respond to the questions in their journals. 

1. Who is Robert Smalls and why is he important? 
2. What was Robert's life like as a slave? 
3. What stood out to you about Robert Small? 
4. Why did Robert and Hannah escaped? 
5. How did Robert prepare for his escape? 
6. What was Roberts contribution to the Civil War? 
7. What did he Accomplished after the war? 

• Activity 2 -                                                Art 

Using the book as their main reference, students must create an artistic representation of Robert Smalls or the Planter. This can be accomplished using several art techniques such as drawing, painting, modeling, collage, computer-generated, and mixed media. This will then be displayed in the classroom. 

Personal Opinion: Personally, I love this book. As a person of African decent, and whose ancestors were kidnapped from Africa and sold into slavery, this book really says a lot to me. It shows me that with strong will, hope, dedication and determination, one can accomplished their heart's desire. This book is good for teaching children about slaves, slavery, and the civil war.  Parents can use it to teach their children what it was like back in the 1800's. I am planning to buy this book for my brother and I would definitively recommend it to everyone.  

Other books by the Author: 

• Little Black Ant on Park Street. 

• A Rainbow of Birds.

• Dolphin's Rescue.

• Animal Teachers 

References: 

 Halfmann, J., & Smith, D. (2008). Seven miles to freedom: The Robert Smalls story. New York: Lee & Low Books.  

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.