Review of MINTY

Schroeder, Alan. 1996. MINTY: A STORY OF YOUNG HARRIET TUBMAN. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803718888.

PLOT SUMMARY
Young Harriet Tubman, known as Minty to her family, struggles against the bonds of slavery in Maryland during the early nineteenth century. She frequently rebels and refuses to obey her master’s orders. After a severe beating, with the threat of being “sold South” hanging over Minty, her father begins teaching her the road to freedom. Minty learns how to follow the North Star to Philadelphia and survive in the forest. Although this story ends before Harriet reaches adulthood, the reader is left feeling hopeful that Minty will eventually be brave enough to attempt her escape.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney include many cultural markers in their dramatic picture book. Since not much is known of Harriet Tubman’s childhood as a slave beyond the most basic facts, some of the scenes in the book and the dialogue are fictional. However, the author and illustrator’s preface and note at the end of the story describe the research undertaken to ensure that this picture book is as true to the spirit of Minty as possible. The descriptions of life on the plantation, for both Minty’s family and the master’s, present stark contrasts and do not attempt to downplay the hardships of the enslaved people.

The author takes great care to accurately portray the language and dialect of the characters. Both Minty and the master’s wife sound authentic to the place and time, with phrases like, “whip her good,” immersing readers in the drama of the story. Schroeder takes care to describe some food, clothing, and chores on the plantation, but he fails to discuss physical traits like hair and skin color. He may have purposely left out these references, allowing the culturally accurate illustrations to speak for themselves.

With all picture books, the strength of the story depends as much on the illustrations as the text. Pinkney excels with his pencil and watercolor depictions of life on an 1820s Maryland plantation. The vivid illustrations accurately capture this setting, allowing readers to visualize the hardships endured by African Americans during a time when they were not even counted as full human beings. Even as he portrays the backbreaking labor of a field slave and the countless tasks required, Pinkney also shows Minty’s spirit longing with the universal desire to be free. She is poignantly reaching for the sky to fly away up North.

Teachers and librarians looking for a book about Harriet Tubman’s early life to complement a study of her life and achievements will be pleased with this Coretta Scott King award winning offering. Schroeder and Pinkney’s talents combine beautifully in a dramatic retelling of this heroine’s inspirational story. The note at the conclusion of the story is especially helpful for readers who may be unaware of Minty’s adult accomplishments.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly states, “Schroeder's (Ragtime Tumpie; Carolina Shout!) choice of lively vignettes rather than a more traditional biography is a wise one. With color and feeling he humanizes a historic figure, coaxing readers to imagine or research the rest of the story. Pinkney's (John Henry) full-bodied watercolors evoke a strong sense of time and place. Laudably, Pinkney's scenes consistently depict young Minty's point of view, giving the harshness of her reality more resonance for readers. A formal author's note follows the text and both Schroeder and Pinkney have included personal messages about the history of the book project. A firm stepping stone toward discussions of slavery and U.S. history.”

School Library Journal writes, “Pinkney's illustrations are outstanding, even when compared to his other fine work. His paintings, done in pencil, colored-pencils, and watercolor, use light and shadow to great effect, and his depictions of Minty are particularly powerful and expressive. This is a dramatic story that will hold listeners' interest and may lead them to biographical material such as David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman (Holiday, 1992) and Ann McGovern's Wanted Dead or Alive (Scholastic, 1991).”

Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Minty-Harriet-Tubman-Picture-Puffin/dp/014056196X

CONNECTIONS
Other books about Harriet Tubman:
Adler, David A. A PICTURE BOOK OF HARRIET TUBMAN. Illustrated by Samuel Byrd. ISBN 082341065X
McGovern, Ann. WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: THE TRUE STORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 0590442120
Petry, Ann. HARRIET TUBMAN: CONDUCTOR ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. ISBN 0064461815
Sterling, Dorothy. FREEDOM TRAIN: THE STORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 0590436287
Weatherford, Carole Boston . MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. ISBN 0786851759


Submitted by Kim