Escape of Robert Smalls, The

The book recounts the 1862 escape of Robert Smalls, an enslaved wheelman in Charleston. Smalls meticulously plans to commandeer the CSS Planter, a munitions ship. Under the cover of night, he picks up his family and other enslaved people, puts on the captain's signature straw hat to impersonate him, and successfully navigates past five Confederate forts to reach the Union blockade. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book addresses the systemic injustice of slavery and the Civil War. The approach is direct but age-appropriate, focusing on the bravery of the escape rather than graphic depictions of hardship. The resolution is triumphant and hopeful, grounded in historical fact. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a sense of high-stakes tension and suppressed fear. It builds into a pulse-pounding thriller during the navigation of the harbor. It concludes with a powerful, soaring sense of relief and hard-won liberty. IDEAL READER: A 7 or 8 year old who loves 'true stories' and is fascinated by ships or military history, but who is also beginning to process the moral complexities of American history. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might choose this after a child expresses feelings of powerlessness in the face of a bully or a school rule they find unfair, using Smalls as an example of 'strategic' bravery. PARENT PREP: Parents should be prepared to explain what 'Union' and 'Confederate' meant, as the book assumes a basic understanding of the two sides of the Civil War. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger children (6-7) will focus on the 'spy' elements and the danger of the disguise. Older children (8-9) will better grasp the immense stakes of what would have happened if Smalls had been caught, and the brilliance of his navigation. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many biographies that focus on Smalls' later political career, this book functions as a high-stakes adventure narrative, making the history feel immediate and cinematic.