Morning Star
Judith Paxton, Author
Second Story Press, Fiction, September 2011
Suitable for Ages: Grades 4-6
Themes: Slavery, Underground Railroad, Racism, African-American
Opening/Synopsis: “Flower Felt fingers press down on her mouth, gentle but firm. She struggled awake to see her mother lift them away, touch one against her own lips, eyes wide with silent warning.” Twelve-year-old Flower, her baby brother and her parents live on a southern slave plantation. In the middle of the night they flee for their lives following the Underground Railroad north to Canada. Their only guide is the North Star and very kind people who help them along their journey. Bounty hunters are in hot pursuit of her family. Their journey is threatened by danger, illness, injuries, and hunger.
In a parallel story over 150 years later, we meet eighth-grader Felicia, who has moved from Toronto with her mother and grandmother to a small town in Michigan. Felicia soon discovers she is among the few African-American students in the school. She makes friends with a group of girls who introduce her to horseback riding and a drama class. But, she also has to deal with some racism for the first time in her life. When the teacher assigns the class to research their ancestry, Felicia discovers that her distant family members were slaves who followed the Underground Railroad to Canada. She also learns about a community of free slaves living in her new town of Plainsville, MI. Does she have the courage to share her family history with her class?
What I like about this book: Judith Paxton has written a compelling and memorable story for young people where she interweaves the lives of two very different girls living 150 years apart. Their stories are told in alternating chapters. You will feel the strength and courage of both Flower and Felicia dealing with racism in different ways. Their past and present paths will cross in an unlikely way. Readers will easily identify with both engaging characters. Each chapter is a page turner and the story is full of suspense. This is a satisfying story for younger readers and a great read for Black History Month.
This book has been provided to me free of charge by the publisher in exchange for an honest review of the work.
Children's Books Heal 
This sounds terrific, Pat. I love the concept. Thanks for sharing – I’ll have to check it out!
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I was happy to find a MG book that for Black History Month that I really enjoyed reading. I liked the parallel stories.
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I love the sound of how the author treated the different decades in racism with girls same age but different century.
Is this a middle grade novel? It sounds like it when you say the ages are grades four to six.
This is a great pick for African-American week. 🙂
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Thanks Clar. Yes, it is a middle grade novel — and I was thrilled to share a story kids would relate to — past and present in a unique way.
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This is a unique book. It reminds me me a bit of “Wonderstruck”, where the pictures tell a young girl’s story from long ago and the words a boy’s story at the present time, until they intertwine. I like how this story is told too. I am going to look for this book!
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Yes, you are right Erik. Forgot about the similarity to Wonderstruck — but it is a very different book. I had hope for a little more intertwining at the end.
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Sound like a good choice for this month Pat!
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Thanks Cathy. Was so happy to have this middle grade novel. Kids will relate in an unusual way.
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What a great idea, weaving the old and the new stories together. Another great choice, Pat.
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Thanks Catherine. I liked the weaving too. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Great book for middle graders.
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This one sounds great! (And yeah, Michigan!)
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Yes, I thought of you Michelle as I reviewed this. And, the Patricia Polacco PB I review on the underground was in Michigan too. Ohio and Michigan helped a lot of slaves to freedom.
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I love that alternating format of intolerance then and now. I think that will go a long way toward making the point with that age group. Nice review.
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Genevieve, thank you for your comment. I believe your right. It really makes the story relevant.
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What a wonderful parallel plat. I love the idea that they were guided to safety by the North Star!
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Niamh, the North Star guided most of the slaves traveling north to freedom. It is a great parallel plot!
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This book sounds like a Black History Month – and “every” month treat to read. Heart-stopping stories of what the slaves endured to find eventual freedom are a wonderful addition to our history. I pinned this review to my Book Review board on Pinterest.
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Thank you Margot. Thanking for pinning my review — I’m embarassed to say I’m not a member and know little about it. This story is relevant today and is a page turner.
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Great to find such a compelling middle grade read for Black History Month. I have read little on the Underground Railroad.
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Joanna, you would find stories about the Underground Railroad fascinating. There are a lot of good books out for a new generation learning about slavery and racism.
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Love the idea of a parallel story. Great find!
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Yes, is a great story that bring both past and present together so kids can understand racism.
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This sounds like a powerful book. I like the 2 stories in one element.
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So glad you liked Morning Star. It is a great book for middle graders and timely.
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This sounds like an important book and a good introduction to the Underground Railway that many people don’t seem to know about. The mixture of the past and present would make it more readable for middle readers. Thanks for the great review.
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Darlene, this is a great introduction to the Underground Railroad. And, it is age apprpriate for middle graders and relevant to their lives today.
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The underground railroad is a subject I’ve always enjoyed learning about. The fact that this story is told by two different narrators 150 years apart is really interesting! I’ll be adding this on to my TBR thanks to you Pat =)
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Yes, me too Amanda. I really loved the parallel stories that were so timely for a new generations of kids. Thanks for your comments.
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