PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: Do You Know Them? by Shana Keller & Laura Freeman
ABOUT THE BOOK
A moving and triumphant picture book inspired by the printed newspaper ads placed by African Americans who were separated from family members by the Civil War, enslavement, and emancipation.
After the war’s end, everyone is missing someone. Lettie’s missing her family. They had been sold and lost long before enslavement was abolished. Every week, she reads the advertisements in the newspapers to her congregation. “Do you know them? I would like to find my people. My mother’s name was Charlotte King, and when I was sold, I had five brothers.”
Lettie is determined to find her loved ones, too. She saves every penny she earns, but not to buy candy or toys. She saves for something better—something that could bring her whole family together.
Every ad depicted in this poignant tale is authentically historical, bringing the heart-wrenching past to life.
REVIEW
The heart wrenching nature of slavery is brought home powerfully in this account of a woman and her uncle looking for lost & stolen family members. Lettie works really hard at a variety of jobs in an effort to save pennies. She plans to use those pennies to pay for an advertisement in the local paper asking for help finding her family. Each week she reads the posted ads to the church congregation in an effort to help families like hers, torn apart by slavery. The inclusion of real-life advertisements from the time period right after the Civil War made my heart ache. The story doesn't shy away from the fact that many advertisements didn't result in a happy ending. The sacrifices Lettie makes to pay for the advertisement demonstrates how badly people wanted to find their families. Freeman's illustrations not only beautifully highlight Lettie, her uncle, friends and congregation but also highlight real-life ads and pennies indicating how much was required to purchase these advertisements. A thought-provoking and powerful book about an important aspect of the United States history with slavery. This is one of those picture books that would work especially well with older students who are capable of thinking about the implications of the experiences highlighted.
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