Dear Austin: Letters from the Underground Railroad by Elvira Woodruff, Nancy Carpenter (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

Now in paperback! In this companion novel to Dear Levi, told in letters,11-year-old Levi helps a young African American in a harrowing flight for freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Children's Literature

In this fast moving sequel to Dear Levi: Letters from the Overland Trail, eleven year old Levi now writes letters to his claim-settling brother about his trials and adventures at home in Pennsylvania. At first. the letters humorously recount mishaps at dreaded dancing lessons and pranks of the Daredevil Club, with his friends Possum and escaped slave Jupiter. But, this is 1853, and soon Levi and Jupiter risk their lives and become involved with the Underground Railroad, after Jupiter's sister, Darcy is kidnapped by slave-catchers. The author resists a happy, pat ending, but the more realistic ending is all the more powerful because of its poignancy. The large print, letter format and fast action make this historical novel appropriate for readers just beginning to read or listen to chapter books. Some of the dialect, especially that of the African-American characters seems rather overdone.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Set in 1853, this sequel to Dear Levi (Knopf, 1994) consists of letters written by 11-year-old Levi Ives to his older brother Austin. Remaining with his guardian, Miss Amelia, until he is able to join Austin on the family claim in Oregon, Levi describes his escapades in the Pennsylvania countryside with his friend, Jupiter, the son of a former slave. When Jupiter's sister is captured by slave traders, the two boys undertake a dangerous journey south to try and free her. While hiding in the woods, they meet Harriet Tubman, and Levi realizes that Miss Amelia and some of his neighbors are part of the Underground Railroad. Rich in adventure, mystery, and suspense, the succinctly written narrative depicts Levi's struggle to understand the prejudicial attitudes of others. The boy's life of freedom is beautifully juxtaposed against Jupiter's life and his constant fear of capture. The plot advances through Levi's letters, which also speak about his feelings for his guardian, his friends, and his brother. Each character is an individual whose actions are believable in the context of the story. This carefully researched and vividly imagined novel presents the emotional and gripping tale of one boy's confrontation with the issue of slavery and its significance in American history.-Janet Gillen, Great Neck Public Library, NY

Kirkus Reviews

Readers don't have to have read Dear Levi (not reviewed) to enjoy this sequel, a gripping historical novel that covers two boys' journeys from innocence to manhood. In 1853, young Levi and his buddies, Possum and Jupiter, create a daredevil's club, through which they attempt to outrun bulls, jump off cliffs, and investigate strange occurrences in their small Pennsylvania town. The tone shifts from the humor of boyhood scrapes to tragedy when Jupiter's little sister, Darcy, is captured by slave traders. Jupiter and Levi head south to find her, a journey that is particularly eye-opening for naive Levi. The action unfolds through his letters to his brother Austin; these range from laugh-out-loud funny to poignant. Powerful emotions are subtly and expertly conveyed, from Levi's amusing embarrassment in dancing class, to his guilt for Darcy's kidnapping, to his horror at the slave auction. Woodruff combines swift pacing, historical detail (Harriet Tubman makes an appearance), humor, suffering, depth, and precise characterizations, for wholly satisfying page turner. (Fiction. 8-12)

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