Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Cline-Ransome, Lesa, and James E. Ransome, illustrator. BEFORE SHE WAS HARRIET. New York: Holiday House, 2017.
ISBN: 978-0-8-2342-0476

In Before She Was Harriet, Lesa Cline-Ransome employs a simple but powerful poem to trace backwards the incredible life of the woman who freed the slaves. At the story's beginning, she is an old woman, then a suffragist, a Union spy, a nurse, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and finally, a young girl with a dream of freedom.

The character of Harriet Tubman is already a household name, and Cline-Ransome does not stereotype here. In Before She Was Harriet, we are not reading about black characters in general, but about one particular influential woman. By outlining the various roles Harriet Tubman played throughout her life, the author is bringing her to life in a new way. The lyrical poem flows naturally and solemnly with the reverance needed for the topic. Readers will likely finish this book with new knowledge beyond what they learned about her in their elementary social studies classes.

The theme of Before She Was Harriet centers on the dream of freedom and the obstacles that must be overcome. Human dignity and perseverance are essential, and Harriet Tubman serves as a positive role model to readers who may aim to improve society of tackle difficult issues. These themes are universal, and especially relevant to people of color, who have faced racism throughout history. The way Harriet Tubman is portrayed in this excellent picture book recognizes the challenges she faced, but focuses on her strength in rising above them. This is essential in writing about people of diverse backgrounds.

James E. Ransome's gorgeous watercolor paintings are rich and full of vibrant colors that show Harriet Tubman as a three-dimensional figure, beyond the typical "sidebar" treatment she is subjected to in history textbooks.

Before She Was Harriet is a book of extremely high quality; The book won the Coretta Scott King Award, earned a spot on Booklist Top 10 Diverse Picture Books 2018, as well as a spot on the Best Books of 2017 lists for Chicago Public Library and School Library Journal. 

An appropriate lesson based on Before She Was Harriet could extend to students researching other famous historical figures about whom not much is widely known. The students could find out more about their backgrounds and the roles that each person held before their major achievements. A discussion could ensue regarding the need to dig deeper and go beyond superficial knowledge to truly understand someone.