Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · August 25, 2026
Freedom to Read
By James E. Ransome · With Lesa Cline-Ransome
A brave teacher risks all to educate Black children in secret.
48 pages
4.5 Goodreads · 14 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Hardcover
Children's book Author & Illustrator
James E. Ransome
Biography
James E. Ransome’s highly acclaimed illustrations for Before She Was Harriett received the 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. His other award-winning titles include Coretta Scott King Honor Book Uncle Jed’s Barbershop; Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt; and Let My People Go, winner of the NAACP Image Award. He frequently collaborates with his wife, author Lesa Cline-Ransome. Some of their titles include Game Changers: The Story of Venus Serena Williams, which received four starred reviews; My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to Alvin Ailey; and Words Set Me Free: The Story of Young Frederick Douglass. Mr. Ransome teaches illustration at Pratt Institute and lives in upstate New York with his family. Visit James at JamesRansome.com.
The latest
James's most recent book
Reader favorites
Most Popular James E. Ransome Books
Sale price
$899
Visiting Day
Picture Book · Ages 5–7 · 2001
A girl and her grandmother prepare for a heartfelt prison visit.
Sale price
$759
Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later)
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 1991
Discover family history through Aunt Flossie's tales and her unique hat collection.
Sale price
$858
Granddaddy's Turn
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2015
A boy witnesses his grandfather's first vote in the segregated South.
Sale price
$1797
Before She Was Harriet
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2017
Discover the many lives of Harriet Tubman, from slave to spy to liberator.
Sale price
$1797
The Creation
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 1993
A preacher retells the creation story, blending Genesis with Southern oral traditions.
Sale price
$858
How Many Stars in the Sky?
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1991
A sleepless night leads to a father-son journey under the stars.
At a glance
Book Stats
2
Authored
27
Illustrated
16
Collaborators
Picture books
26
Chapter books
2
Publishing timeline
Books published each year, stacked by book type.
Publication timeline from 1991 to 2026.
Book mix
The share of the catalog represented by each book type.
Book type breakdown: 26 picture books, 2 chapter books.
28
books
Complete bibliography
All James E. Ransome Books
Every title in the Bookroo library, ordered from newest to oldest.
Sale price
$1899
Freedom to Read
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2026
A brave teacher risks all to educate Black children in secret.
Sale price
$1797
They Call Me Teach
Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2024
An enslaved young man secretly teaches others to read, sparking hope for freedom.
Sale price
$1697
Northbound
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2020
A boy's first train ride reveals the shifting, unfair rules of segregation.
Sale price
$1999
Gridiron
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2020
Explore the NFL's journey from obscurity to America's favorite sport.
Sale price
$1899
Freedom Bird
Picture Book · Ages 5–9 · 2020
A mysterious bird inspires siblings to escape slavery and seek freedom.
Sale price
$1797
Overground Railroad
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2020
A young girl journeys north, seeking freedom and new beginnings.
Sale price
$1697
The Bell Rang
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2019
A young girl faces heartbreak and hope when her brother escapes slavery.
Sale price
$1697
Game Changers
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2018
Two sisters defy odds and prejudice to become tennis legends.
Sale price
$1799
Be a King
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2018
Discover how Dr. King's legacy inspires a new generation to stand for justice and change the world.
Sale price
$1797
Before She Was Harriet
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2017
Discover the many lives of Harriet Tubman, from slave to spy to liberator.
Sale price
$1899
My Story, My Dance
Picture Book · Ages 5–10 · 2015
A boy defies odds to lead a legendary dance company.
Sale price
$858
Granddaddy's Turn
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2015
A boy witnesses his grandfather's first vote in the segregated South.
Sale price
$1697
Joltin' Joe DiMaggio
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2014
A young boy dreams of Yankee pinstripes, becoming a baseball legend during America's toughest times.
Sale price
$1797
Light in the Darkness
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2013
A mother and daughter risk everything to learn to read in secret.
Sale price
$1899
Words Set Me Free
Picture Book · Ages 5–9 · 2012
A young boy discovers the power of words on his journey to freedom.
Sale price
$759
New Red Bike!
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2011
Tom's new bike vanishes. Did his friend take it?
Sale price
$1899
Baby Blessings
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2010
Explore the lifelong bond between parent and child through heartfelt blessings.
Sale price
$1697
What Lincoln Said
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2008
Discover how a humble farm boy became a president determined to change a nation.
Sale price
$759
Young Pelé
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2007
A boy with rag balls becomes a soccer legend against all odds.
Sale price
$858
Sky Boys
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2004
Witness the rise of a skyscraper through a young boy's eyes.
Sale price
$759
Under the Quilt of Night
Chapter Book · Ages 6–9 · 2002
A young girl follows a quilt's secret message to freedom.
Sale price
$799
Peepers
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 2001
Skeptical boys discover unexpected beauty in nature's fall spectacle.
Sale price
$899
Visiting Day
Picture Book · Ages 5–7 · 2001
A girl and her grandmother prepare for a heartfelt prison visit.
Sale price
$1797
The Creation
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 1993
A preacher retells the creation story, blending Genesis with Southern oral traditions.
Sale price
$1999
Uncle Jed's Barbershop
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1993
A barber dreams of his own shop amidst 1920s segregation and setbacks.
Sale price
$858
How Many Stars in the Sky?
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 1991
A sleepless night leads to a father-son journey under the stars.
Sale price
$759
Aunt Flossie's Hats (and Crab Cakes Later)
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 1991
Discover family history through Aunt Flossie's tales and her unique hat collection.
Sale price
$1797
Freedom's School
Picture Book · Ages 4–8
Creative company
Collaborators
The authors and illustrators who share the credits across James E. Ransome's books.
07
EH