Review: Safe House!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 15, 2013
Eleven-year-old Nathanial Johnson dangled his feet in the Ohio River, dreaming about his father who had enlisted in the Union Army as the Civil War raged. Nathanial's father was fighting for what he believed in, freedom for slaves. He and Nathanial's grandfather Johnson were abolitionists, active in the delivery of slaves to safe houses and eventual freedom along the Underground Railroad to the north. Having heard numerous stories of slave traffic through their home town in Ripley, Ohio, Nathanial questioned his grandfather about what a safe house represented, and soon discovered that his own home was a safe house, a haven for slaves in the quest for freedom. His accidental discovery of a slave family hiding on their farm led Nathanial to a whole new level in his understanding of what the Underground Railroad represented.Kathi Macias writes a poignant and well researched story of a young boy whose concerns and questions about war, slavery and abolition came to fruition upon his discovery of a slave family hiding on his farm. This story of coming of age and development to a new level of maturity, sensitivity and concern that Nathanial's character represents, are realistic and flow naturally. The details of factual events regarding abolition, safe houses and the Underground Railroad are well researched and told in a way that even young people can understand and enjoy. Kathi Macias is a master storyteller who creates a factual tale with insight and sensitivity.Disclaimer: I received a PDF copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.