Light in the Darkness

Imagine wanting to learn to read, but knowing you're going to be punished if you get caught trying to learn. That's exactly what Rosa has to live with in the book Light in the Darkness: A Story About How Slaves Learned in Secret (2013). Written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James E. Ransome, the picture book Light in the Darkness, takes an honest look at how slaves had to learn in secret.

This story really tugged at my heart. As a Quaker, my ancestors played an integral part in the Underground Railroad and the education of slaves. As a reader, I always enjoy a well written book that utilizes good detail with a strong plot, and couples both with excellent illustrations.

Light in the Darkness tells the story of Rosa, a slave girl, who attends school in secret. The story
takes place over a couple of weeks, giving us a glimpse of the dangers slaves faced. Each time she attends the secret school, she and her classmates have to be extremely quiet, keeping constant vigil for voices or sounds so as not to be caught.

While the story might be a little above my kindergartners, I feel I could have first- through third-graders map the story out through beginning, middle and end. I also feel like a mini-lesson utilizing a timeline, and mapping the story out that way.