Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schroeder, Alan. 1996. MINTY: A STORY OF YOUNG HARRIET TUBMAN. Ill. By Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803718896.

PLOT SUMMARY
MINTY is a fictional story of Harriet Tubman’s childhood years. Harriet is a young, strong-willed slave who dreams of escaping to freedom. She recites Bible stories to her rag doll, gets sent to work in the fields for angering Mrs. Brodas, and learns from her father how to survive when she does escape. This heartfelt depiction of Tubman’s childhood shows us the beginnings of one of the most famous women in American history.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
A note at the beginning of the book notes that this book is a work of fiction. Parts of the book are based on fact, such as Harriet’s “cradle” name and the name of the plantation where she was a slave. The rest of the story Schroeder made up based on what was known of her childhood.

Pinkney’s watercolor illustrations do an amazing job of capturing the different facial expressions of Harriet and her parents. They show the determination in her face as she is learning to swim, the concern in her mother’s face after she is whipped and the care in her father’s face as he is teaching her how to survive when she escapes. The illustrations, along with the text, also show the setting of the plantation and the difference between the living conditions for the plantation slaves and the owners. The slaves sleep on the floor huddled together and have rags for clothes and the plantation owners wear much nicer clothing and have a beautiful table in their living room.

One cultural marker is that Harriet is not content to stay a slave. She has a mind of her own and knows that one day she wants to be free. This is a contrast to other books that show slaves blindly following their masters.

One aspect of this story that crosses all cultures is Harriet’s family supporting each other during difficult times. Her mother cares for her wounds after she has been whipped and her father teaches her everything she will need to know to survive when she escapes. This occurs in every culture, but was probably more important to slaves who only had each other.


REVIEW EXCERPTS
Winner of 1997 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration
ALA Notable Book

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “This fictionalized account of Tubman's childhood on a Maryland plantation provides a cruel snapshot of life as a slave and the horrid circumstances that fueled the future Underground Railroad leader's passion and determination. Pinkney's (John Henry) full-bodied watercolors evoke a strong sense of time and place.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This beautifully illustrated and moving fictional story can be used to introduce Harriet Tubman and the injustice of slavery to young audiences.”
BOOKLIST: “Set on the Maryland plantation where Harriet Tubman ("Minty" ) was raised a slave, this fictionalized story dramatizes what daily life was like for her as a child. Schroeder's words are clear and strong.”

CONNECTIONS
Before you read this book to your class ask students what they already know about slavery. After reading the book ask students if they learned anything about slavery.

Other children’s books about Harriet Tubman:
Adler, David. A PICTURE BOOK OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 9780823410651
Weatherford, Carole. MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. ISBN 978-0786851751