Only Passing Through

The Story of Sojourner Truth

Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Paperback
$8.99 US
11"W x 8.5"H x 0.13"D  
On sale Dec 10, 2002 | 40 Pages | 9780440417668
Grades 1-4
Reading Level: Lexile 790L
A powerful picture book biography of one of the abolitionist movement's most compelling voices.

Sojourner Truth traveled the country in the latter half of the 19th century, speaking out against slavery. She told of a slave girl who was sold three times by age 13, who was beaten for not understanding her master's orders, who watched her parents die of cold and hunger when they could no longer work for their keep. Sojourner's simple yet powerful words helped people to understand the hideous truth about slavery. The story she told was her own.

Only Passing Through is the inspiring story of how a woman, born a slave with no status or dignity, transformed herself into one of the most powerful voices of the abolitionist movement. Anne Rockwell combines her lifelong love of history with her well-known skill as a storyteller to create this simple, affecting portrait of an American icon.
Anne Rockwell has been an innovator in children's books for more than 30 years and has written well over 100 books.

Gregory Christie's first book, The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children, received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 1997. View titles by Anne Rockwell
R. Gregory Christie has illustrated more than sixty books for young adults and children, including Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, which was awarded a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor. He has also received two New York Times Best Illustrated Book awards, six Coretta Scott King Honors for illustration, the NAACP Image Award, the Boston GlobeHorn Book Award, and the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. In addition, Greg has designed John Coltrane album covers and animated films on Netflix, and he operates his online store of autographed children’s books, GAS-ART Gifts. He lives and works in the Atlanta area. View titles by R. Gregory Christie
  • WINNER | 2001
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 2000
    Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
  • WINNER | 2000
    New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Reviewed in Bookselling Kids' Pick of the Lists Part Two for October 2000.

"The facts in this picture-book biography speak as eloquently as its illustrations, which have an authority and passion recalling Jacob Lawrence's Harriet and the Promised Land."—The Horn Book, Starred Review

"The look and feel of a children’s classic . . . a valuable addition to any child’s library.”
-- The New York Times

“Rockwell’s vibrant storytelling, powerful content and moving author’s note will likely send readers off to further reading about this extraordinary heroine.”
-- Publishers Weekly, Starred

"It's a powerful story, well told and handsomely set; worth of its courageous subject." -- The Horn Book Magazine, Starred

About

A powerful picture book biography of one of the abolitionist movement's most compelling voices.

Sojourner Truth traveled the country in the latter half of the 19th century, speaking out against slavery. She told of a slave girl who was sold three times by age 13, who was beaten for not understanding her master's orders, who watched her parents die of cold and hunger when they could no longer work for their keep. Sojourner's simple yet powerful words helped people to understand the hideous truth about slavery. The story she told was her own.

Only Passing Through is the inspiring story of how a woman, born a slave with no status or dignity, transformed herself into one of the most powerful voices of the abolitionist movement. Anne Rockwell combines her lifelong love of history with her well-known skill as a storyteller to create this simple, affecting portrait of an American icon.

Author

Anne Rockwell has been an innovator in children's books for more than 30 years and has written well over 100 books.

Gregory Christie's first book, The Palm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children, received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 1997. View titles by Anne Rockwell
R. Gregory Christie has illustrated more than sixty books for young adults and children, including Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, which was awarded a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor. He has also received two New York Times Best Illustrated Book awards, six Coretta Scott King Honors for illustration, the NAACP Image Award, the Boston GlobeHorn Book Award, and the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. In addition, Greg has designed John Coltrane album covers and animated films on Netflix, and he operates his online store of autographed children’s books, GAS-ART Gifts. He lives and works in the Atlanta area. View titles by R. Gregory Christie

Awards

  • WINNER | 2001
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 2000
    Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
  • WINNER | 2000
    New York Times Best Illustrated Book

Praise

Reviewed in Bookselling Kids' Pick of the Lists Part Two for October 2000.

"The facts in this picture-book biography speak as eloquently as its illustrations, which have an authority and passion recalling Jacob Lawrence's Harriet and the Promised Land."—The Horn Book, Starred Review

"The look and feel of a children’s classic . . . a valuable addition to any child’s library.”
-- The New York Times

“Rockwell’s vibrant storytelling, powerful content and moving author’s note will likely send readers off to further reading about this extraordinary heroine.”
-- Publishers Weekly, Starred

"It's a powerful story, well told and handsomely set; worth of its courageous subject." -- The Horn Book Magazine, Starred

Books for Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month

Penguin Random House Education is proud to celebrate Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs annually from September 15th through October 15th. We are highlighting the works of our authors and illustrators from the Latinx and Hispanic community, whose stories and characters have a profound impact on our society. Here is a selection of titles

Read more

Reading with Purpose Summit Event

On Monday, June 10th, Penguin Random House Education and DK Learning co-hosted a Reading with Purpose Summit Event in collaboration with Molly Ness, PhD. The event took place at Penguin Random House’s NYC headquarters and included sessions featuring leading education experts and a lunchtime author panel. The in-person professional learning event was built to show

Read more

2024 Elementary School Collection

The Penguin Random House Education Elementary School Collection features outstanding fiction, nonfiction, and picture books from Penguin Young Reader’s, Random House Children’s, DK, and Grupo Editorial, as well as children’s publishers distributed by Penguin Random House. Explore online or download this valuable resource to discover great books in specific topic areas such as: Leveled Readers,

Read more

DK Learning Phonic Books Sampler Request

Thank you for your interest in DK Learning | Phonic Books. To download the DK Learning | Phonic Books sampler with four complete readers, please click here and complete the form. Once your information is successfully submitted, a link to download the sampler will be provided on the confirmation screen.   Click here to learn

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more