January’s Sparrow: One of the Best Books of the Year
January’s Sparrow by Patricia Polacco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You might be a bit like me; only buying great books once they’ve come out in paperback. It’s least expensive and the story is the same as the hardback edition. But, if there is one book you should pay extra for this year, I highly recommend January’s Sparrow by Patricia Pollaco.
I was a bit surprised to get January’s Sparrow in October to review as it seems like a book ripe for Black History Month. After reading January’s Sparrow I now know it’s perfect any time of year. January Sparrow is a children’s book dripping with the harrowing true tale of a family of runaway slaves. Intended for an audience of eight-year-olds and older, this story will stick with your children for a lifetime, especially as they identify with the main character, Sadie, who’s around eight herself.
Pollaco does a masterful job infusing history and the horrors of slavery including merciless whippings and escaping in the middle of the night to reach free states. But amidst all of the terrifying pages of the Crosswhite family seeking freedom is a heartwarming story of a family that stuck together, escaped together, and a Michigan town that refused to hand them over to the perils of the south.
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Thanks for the review, I’m going to look for this book for my 4th grader.