Harriet Hyman Alonso is the author of five books, including the
prize-winning biography Growing Up Abolitionist- The Story of the
Garrison Children, and a recipient of the National Endowment for
the Humanities Research Fellowship. In 2017, the Peace History
Society, an affiliate of the American Historical Association,
awarded her its Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a professor
emerita of history at the City College of New York. She lives in
Brooklyn, New York. Martha and the Slave Catchers is her first
novel. Visit her website at http-//harrietalonso.com.
Elizabeth Zunon lives in Albany, New York, and creates art
influenced by her tropical childhood in the Ivory Coast, West
Africa. She illustrates with a mix of oil paint and collage in such
picture books as The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Legendary Miss
Lena Horne, and many others.
"Alonso and Zunon have both done a masterful job bringing America's
pre-Civil War years to the page. Readers will sit in suspense as
Martha risks her life in the Underground Railroad network ... Fans
of Laurie Halse Anderson's 'Seeds of America' series will want to
pick this up." —School Library Journal
"Alonso pens an informative, easy-to-follow adventure story that
nevertheless tackles the persistent issues arising from
antebellum America, including race and skin color,
situational ethics and their devastating consequences,
and allyship and using privilege for justice. A
tense adventure about interracial adoption that gets
to the heart of what's most important:
love." —Kirkus Reviews
"Alonso is a historian and storyteller: the perfect background for
a novel that will give middle school readers an excellent sense of
life in the mid-1850s. It never veers into textbook mode, but
rather uses character and action to draw the reader into issues
such as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1860 ... a compelling and
carefully wrought book, enjoyable literally cover to cover." —The
Freedom Seeker, a newsletter of the Undergound Railroad.
"The complexities of mid-1800s slave laws and racial attitudes are
captured within the pages of a riveting adventure story. The
fast-paced plot, filled with twists and surprises, will engage
readers and spark discussion of these important issues. Alonso
breathes life into the sights, sounds, and emotions of travel on
the Underground Railroad." —Elisa Carbone, author of Stealing
Freedom
"Middle graders will love the spunk of Martha, the heroine of this
novel. Passionate about the injustices of slavery, she embarks on a
journey south to save her kidnapped brother Jake. Rooted in
abolitionist history, full of page-turning suspense, mystery, and
inner conflict, Martha and the Slave Catchers depicts the
disastrous aftermath of the passing of 1850’s Fugitive Slave
Act." —Virginia Frances Schwartz, author of If I Just Had Two
Wings, Send One Angel Down and Crossing to Freedom
"Harriet Hyman Alonso’s gripping tale is steeped in period detail,
and presents an honest and accurate portrait of life in
mid-nineteenth-century Connecticut and of the havoc created by the
Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. Readers will come away with a clearer
understanding of the horrors of slavery, and a greater appreciation
for the bravery of those who fought against it. Anyone who loves an
exciting read and likes learning a bit of history on the way will
love this book." —Margaret Meacham, author of Oyster Moon and
The Ghosts of Laurelford
"Martha’s is a true hero’s journey. This is a story about
love, bravery, the constancy of family, loss, history, and
hope, set during a time we all need to know more
about." —Jerdine Nolen, author of Eliza’s Freedom Road and
Raising Dragons
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