Silkwood is a great granduncle on my father's side of the family. ( )

"A young African American girl is sold away from her mother as a slave, and then later is sold to a Cherokee Indian, but eventually a white man not only sets her free, but adopts her into his family of fifteen children. Based on a true story; [the book] includes instructions for making a hollyhock doll." Source: summary from the title page's back. ". . .Anne Broyles loves to learn about and engage with other people, cultures and worlds. She discovered Priscilla's story while researching the Cherokee Trail of Tears for a young adult novel she was writing. [She] is the author of many adult and children's books. . .
Anna Alter's illustrations are beautiful "[She] is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design. She has illustrated many books for children. . ." Source: Book's dust jacket.

Personal response: I liked that this is based on a true story and tells a story about slavery that is perhaps less well known. The illustrations are well done and evoke the time and place of the story.

Curricular connections: could be used in a unit on the Civil war or on slavery, in particular Native Americans and slavery. ( )

Based on a true story of a little girl Priscilla and her life on a plantation. Priscilla's mom would sit with her at the pond and make Hollyhock dolls. Her mom is taken to another plantatio, but a cook takes care of her. When her master dies, she is sold at auction to a Cherokee Indian as a slave. When the United States move the Native American Indians, Priscilla is forced to go with them on the Trail of Tears. Along her way she meets up with a man she once knew who gathers enough money to buy her freedom. He and his wife then raise her. Grades 1-4. ( )