One is about the Underground Railroad and the men, women and children who helped runaway slaves escape to Canada or to free states. The second is about Luke, a brave deaf child who helped the movement. Secret Signs is set at an important time in history. But the book is really about communication. Luke and Mama communicate in sign language.
Runaway slaves look for signs that point the way to safe houses.
A deaf Luke figures out how, without sign language or his voice, to make a young slave girl understand. Julietta learns to cope with her grandfather's death by using the lessons he taught her. Grandfather raised homing pigeons on his Brooklyn rooftops. When she turns 6, Grandfather tells her about being drafted into the Army, at age 9, to train homing pigeons because he understood them so well. He spoke the language of doves.