This “riveting biography” (Kirkus Reviews) presents a thought-provoking portrait of celebrated human rights activist Frederick Douglass.

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery. He was taken from his mother as a baby, and separated from his grandparents when he was six. He suffered hunger and abuse, but miraculously, he learned how to read. Frederick read newspapers left in the street, and secretly collected spellings from neighborhood children. Words, he knew, would set him free. When Frederick was twenty, he escaped to the North, where he spread his abolitionist beliefs through newspaper articles, autobiographies, and speeches. He believed that all people—regardless of color or gender—were entitled to equal rights. It is Douglass’s words, as well as his life, that still provide hope and inspiration across generations.

In this installment of the critically acclaimed Big Words series, Doreen Rappaport captures Frederick’s journey from boy to man, from slavery to freedom, by weaving Frederick’s powerful words with her own. London Ladd’s strong and evocative illustrations combine with the text to create a moving portrait of an extraordinary life.

Don’t miss these other titles in the Big Words series!
Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa
Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller
Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Doreen Rappaport

About the Author

Doreen Rappaport has written numerous award-winning books for children, including: Freedom Ship and The School Is Not White, both illustrated by Curtis James; Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, a Caldecott Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Orbis Pictus Honor Book, and a Jane Addams Children’s Book Award winner; Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, CCBC Best Book of the Year, and an IRA Teacher’s Choice; Eleanor, Quiet No More, illustrated by Gary Kelly; and Jack’s Path of Courage, illustrated by Matt Tavares. She lives and writes in upstate New York, and she invites you to visit her online at doreenrappaport.com.

Matt Tavares is the illustrator of several books, including ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Jack and the Beanstalk, written by E. Nesbit, Iron Hans: A Grimms’ Fairy Tale, retold by Stephen Mitchell, Lady Liberty: A Biography, and Jack’s Path of Courage, both written by Doreen Rappaport. His books have won several awards, including four Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor, two Oppenheim Gold Seal Awards, and an International Reading Association Children’s Book Award. His illustrations have been exhibited at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators, and at the Brandywine River Museum. Matt lives in Maine with his wife and two daughters, and he invites you to visit him online at matttavares.com.

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