The Daring Escape of Ellen Craft

April 1, 2002
Gr 1-3-Ellen and William Craft were slaves determined to escape to freedom. Their daring plan involved Ellen traveling as a white male slave master with William as her slave. Risking everything, they embarked on their journey from Georgia on December 21, 1848. The difficult trip ended with the couple arriving safely in Philadelphia on Christmas Day. This account of a real event employs a suspenseful text that will keep readers engaged to the very end. A note explains that the dialogue was "taken or adapted from conversations reported by William Craft" in his 1860 narrative. Soft watercolor paintings illustrate almost every page and there are reproductions of a period drawing and photograph of Ellen Craft. An afterword explains what happened to the couple after their escape and mentions William Craft's book on the subject. A great nonfiction choice for newly independent readers.-Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.