Freddi Williams Evans

When whispers start going around, Simmy and his family know there will be something to look forward to that night, a secret worship meeting. Enslaved on a plantation, Simmy and the other slaves know they are not allowed to worship in public so every once in a while, they discretely meet in the woods to do so. With Mama Aku on her last leg of life, Simmy knows that tonight's meeting is important and he must do a good job scouting out the Patrollers in the woods so he doesn't get caught. His keen eye saves his family from getting caught and provides Mama Aku the chance for her last form of salvation before she passes the next day.

A tale about a lesser known (at least for me) aspect of slavery, I thought this story was well written and was enhanced by beautiful illustrations. I think this story would be great to read to kids to demonstrate to them that slavery was more dimensional than they might have thought. It also shows how family and religion can get you through even the most terrible situations.… (més)

I loved this book and can definitely see myself incorporating this into a history lesson on slavery. I think the book tells of a powerful happening of African Americans in the time of slavery. While enslaved (and even some free), African Americans would sneak away at night to secret meeting places that they called “hush harbors or brush arbors, and pray in the way that their heart felt called to do so. This was frowned upon and even banned by most plantation owners, so African Americans sneaking off into the night to praise the Lord freely really came with a huge price. Family is such a prominent theme in this story, too, which would be awesome to point out in the story. The way that Simmy has the back of his family while watching from the trees, and the way that Uncle Sol helps others get back to the village, really touches on the importance of family and even family-like-friends. They all have something that is important to them, and they have one another’s backs through the thick of it to ensure that they keep safe while sneaking off to pray. This has a great history AND family lesson to be taught, and I can definitely see myself having this in my classroom library.… (més)

This heartfelt story is about a small town working together to get their children a bus to ride to school. During this time, white children were able to catch the bus, while the black children had to walk 5 miles to get to school. Whether rain or shine, it became unbearable. With the help of a wealthy cousin and a motivated group of parents, everyone pitched in to get their children a bus for school. Reading this story, it reminded me of a quote that goes something like "It take a village to raise a child." All of the black children had to hike to school while the white children rode on buses and made fun of them. When parents decided to pitch in money, take on a second job, etc., it showed that it takes a community of caring people to make a change. On top of that, it all just starts with one little girl's vision of getting their own bus. The little girl's idea and dream became a reality, and it was all thanks to her community and family.… (més)

"Hush Harbor," by Freddi Williams, was about a family of slaves who had strong beliefs in their religion. They were slaves so they had to attend church like white people and had to behave like white people. The only problem was, the only time they could pray and sing like they wanted to, was when they snuck away. That wasn't allowed. Sneaking away would consider you a runaway and you would get beaten, if not killed. The family decided they were going to sneak away just to be able to pray like they wanted to. Everyone was nervous about them getting caught. They put their trust and faith into Jesus to keep them safe. Just as they were about to get caught, Jesus made sure they returned home safely. This story does encourage children to break the rules, but at the same time, it teaches children not to give up on their faith. Or anything they believe in for that matter. Everyone has the right to freedom of religion and freedom of belief. This should encourage kids to not be scared of what they believe in. Christ will always save and always protect you. I think Simmy realized this in this story. He was so scared of getting caught, but God proved to him that he would be safe. Now, he knows it.… (més)