Curiosity

Gerald Allen Wunsch

1st Books

PO 108, Bloomington, Indiana

ISBN# 1410736997 $11.45 1-800-839-8640

This book will interest children in learning about the Underground Railroad. To effectively demonstrate the Underground Railway to them, Wunsch

With their parents vacationing in Europe, Ginger and her best friend, Irene, stay with Ginger's grandparents. However, the girls feel they're the ones to find adventure. Who would believe rural Indiana held excitement? It all began when Ginger's grandfather took them and his fox terrier, for a ride to the Browns, in his highly prized MG TF sports car from the 1930's. His friends offered the girls a tour of their house and then of something special. The girls soon learn the Brown's home was once a stationmaster's house for the Underground Railroad. Stationmasters hid slaves escaping north. The stationmaster hid them in secret areas such as behind closets, rooms under staircases and secret cellars.

Days later, back at Ginger's grandparent's the girls hear Laird barking, yet can't find him. After searching, they discover a place no one alive knows about. Oh, what interesting items they uncover. Their secret is threatened though and they wonder if they should tell.

Quote taken from the story:

After a few seconds, I took the plunge and said, "Grandpa, what if that old cellar was actually a hiding place for slaves escaping on the Underground Railroad?"

"I'll tell you what. I'll take one more look down there with the flashlight before I tear the roof off."

He'd turned toward the door again so he didn't see the panic on my face and on Irene's face. I knew I'd better say something quick.

Later ...

As we picked our way through the old tunnel, we came across two bone buttons and a rusty lantern. The lantern was very fragile after so many years in the dirt.

Book contents include:

Story with sketches Information sections on:--Fox terriers with photographs

--The country Suriname on the coast of Brazil, along with a map.

--MG T series sports cars with a sketching and photograph

--Genealogy with a reproduction of Harriet Beecher Stowe's genealogy.

--America and the Underground Railroad, along with photographs, a picture from an Almanac dated 1839, and a sketching of Harriet Beecher Stowe as a young woman.

--Buffalo nickels along with a photograph.

--For more information on Underground Railroads with phone numbers and websites.

--Acknowledgements and credits with websites and phone numbers for even more research.

--About the author with a photograph of Wunsch and his fox terrier, Laird.

--Back page with a photograph of the illustrator as well as her biography. Irene Joslin is an award-winning cartoonist.

Wunsch is a retired lawyer who served as a diplomat with the U.S. State Department. He had foreign assignments in Mexico, Suriname and the Netherlands.

He fashioned his story to help children find historical information interesting. Artifacts are explained well with supplemental photographs. The narrative is light in tone, adventurous, and told in first person. For further interest, Wunsch also places his playful, real life dog, Laird, into the story.

Wunsch handles the subject creatively for parents, teachers, and children. His book is user friendly, informative, instructional, and entertaining. A delight. Recommended.

Christina Francine, Reviewer

http://www.CFrancine.bizland.com