In the middle of the night, The Crosswhites—including young Sadie—must flee the Kentucky plantation they work on. Dear January has been beaten and killed by the plantation master, and they fear who may be next. But Sadie must leave behind her most valuable possession, the wooden sparrow carved for her by January. Through the Underground Railroad, the Crosswhites make the slow and arduous journey to Marshall, Michigan, where they finally live in freedom. And there they stay, happily, until the day a mysterious package shows up on their doorsteps. It is January's sparrow, with a note that reads, "I found you."

How the Crosswhites, and the whole town of Marshall, face this threat will leave readers empowered and enthralled. This is a Polacco adventure that will live in the minds of children for years.
--Philomel 2009

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"The grandpa held the jar of honey so that all the family could see, then dipped a ladle into it and drizzled honey on the cover of a small book."

"Taste!"

"What is that taste"

"The little girl answered, Sweet!"

"Yes, and so is knowledge, but knowledge is like the bee that made that sweet honey, you have to chase it through the pages of a book!"

Autobiographical and intensely emotional, this book tells of the agony of a child that cannot read. Patricia Polacco, this brilliant children’s author and artist suffered from a learning disability. This book is Polacco’s tribute and "thank you" to the real Mr. Falker, her fifth grade teacher, who had the wisdom, compassion and vision to "see."

Say, a white youth and Pinkus, a black youth meet as soldiers during the Civil War. When Say is wounded in battle, Pink brings him to his home and to meet his mother, Moe Moe Bay who cares for him during recuperation. Moe Moe Bay hides them from the marauders and loses her life during the distraction. Pink is anxious to get back and fight the "sickness" as he calls it (slavery) and when Say understands through Moe Moe Bay’s death the importance of the struggle, he too is anxious to return. The rest of the story you will have to read and "see" to appreciate it’s warmth and compassion. This book is based on a true story about Patricia Polacco’s great great grandfather. You will be moved with this book in many ways.

"To be born a slave is a heap o’ trouble…but after Aylee taught me to read, even though he owned my person, I knew that nobody, ever, could really own me."