The Drinking Gourd

K-Gr 3—This classic story (HarperCollins, 1993), written by F. N. Monjo and illustrated by Fred Brenner, tells how Tommy Fuller, a Quaker boy, discovers and assists runaway slaves who were being helped by his father, a conductor of the Underground Railroad. Conversations between Tommy and his father address slaves as property, the Fugitive Slave Law, obeying laws, and trying to change laws. Patrick Collins's narration is well-paced and expressive, employing voice changes for the characters. Sound effects add to the telling. At the beginning of the story, the song "The Drinking Gourd" tells of following the Big Dipper to Canada and to freedom. Page-turn signals are optional. This audiobook offers a good introduction to introduce units on slavery and the Civil War.—Ann Elders, Mark Twain Elementary School, Federal Way, WA