Light in the Darkness

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013

illustrated by James E. Ransome

Based on historical fact, Light in the Darkness is a dramatic story of the determination of slaves to learn to read and write, despite the dangers from slave patrollers. "Rosa is eager to learn her letters. After the letters come words, and after the words come reading. ... Finally they [Rosa and her Mama] reach their destination: a hole dug in the ground and covered with branches. They climb down and begin making the shapes that Morris teaches them: A...B...C..."

Junior Library Guild selection
CCBC Choices 2014
2014 Notable Children's Book in Language Arts 

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