The Drinking Gourd

Monjo, F. N. (1970). The Drinking Gourd. Illus. F. Brenner. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Brief Annotation: When Tommy misbehaves in church, his father sends him home early. While home alone, he discovers a family of runaway slaves. He learns about the Underground Railroad, the drinking gourd, and injustice, as he helps his father ferry the runaways on their quest for freedom.

Genre: Historical Fiction Picturebook, Easy reader

Grade Level:
Readers who will like this: students interested in stories about slavery and abolition, children stirred by tales of injustice, readers who enjoy brave and clever boy protagonists.

Response/Rating (1-4): ** This tale of bravery is told in language that young readers can read independently and comprehend.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What are some examples of situations in which following a law would not be the right thing to do?