As a homeschool mom – especially given our heavy use of unit studies and “living books” – I am always on the lookout for good historical fiction for children.  (Historical fiction is easy to find.  Historical fiction for children isn’t always.)    As a result, I was happy to be given the opportunity to read and review The Golden Pathway, by Donna M. McDine.

The Golden Pathway addresses a tough subject – slavery and the Underground Railroad.  The suggested audience is readers aged 8-12, but I will probably include my 4-year-old when we read it as part of our study of that time period.

I would probably not use this as my children’s only exposure to the time, as I’m concerned it might give them a unrealistically one-dimensional view of the place and the people.  To put it plainly, I wouldn’t want them to draw the conclusion that every white southerner was cruel, based on one story of one (fictional) family.  In context, though, I found it to be an excellent introduction to a difficult period of history.

The only thing I dislike about the book is that the story centers around a young man who defies his father in order to care for and free the family’s slave.  I would have preferred to read my children a story about a family working together to end injustice rather than one about a son going behind his father’s back.  The reality, however, is that, that sort of thing happened.  (When it really comes down it, I would rather not have to read my children books about racial slavery in the first place!  But it happened, and those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.  So we read about the ugly truth.)

All in all, I think this is a good introduction to the topic, with a story centered around a young person so that young people can readily identify with it.  I will probably be reading it with/to my children, rather than handing it over – but maybe that’s a better idea, anyway, given the nature of the subject.

After reading the book and the author’s note about code words, you might want to sing “Get On Board” and/or “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”

Disclosure: I was provided with this book, free of charge, by the author to facilitate this review.  All opinions expressed are strictly my own.