Light in the Darkness

By Lesa Cline-Ransome, James E. Ransome (Illustrator)

A mother and daughter risk everything to learn to read in secret.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 368 ratings

40 pages

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In the dead of night, Rosa and her mother sneak to a hidden school, risking severe punishment to learn the forbidden art of reading. As they form letters in the dirt, whispers of hope and defiance fill the air. Rosa's determination to master words and share her knowledge with others grows, despite the looming threat of discovery. Will their courage and patience be enough to overcome the dangers they face? This gripping tale explores the transformative power of literacy and the unyielding spirit of those who dare to seek it.

From the publisher

An enslaved mother and daughter learn to read in spite of great danger in this beautiful testament to the power of literacy, written and illustrated by an award-winning author/artist team. Rosa and her mama go to school together-in the dark of night, silently, afraid that any noise they hear is a patroller on the lookout for escaped slaves. Their school is literally a hole in the ground, where they and other slaves of all ages gather to form letters out of sticks, scratch letters in the dirt, and pronounce their sounds in whispers. Young Rosa is eager to learn the letters and then the words, because after the words comes reading. But she must have patience, her mama reminds her, and keep her letters to herself when she’s working on the plantation. If the Master catches them, it’ll mean a whipping-one lash for each letter. No matter how slow and dangerous the process might be, Rosa is determined to learn, and pass on her learning to others.

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