ALA Booklist (Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

Both exciting escape adventure and gripping history, this account of a husband and wife on the run from slavery traces their journey to freedom in the U.S and across the world. Ellen is a light-skinned African American, daughter of the master who raped her mother. Disguised as a wealthy Southern gentleman, she escapes with her husband, William, disguised as her slave, and they travel by train and steamboat to freedom in Boston. When their astonishing story makes the fugitive couple famous, slave catchers come after them, so the Crafts leave for England, where they continue their abolitionist work, until their return home after the Civil War. The Fradins, whose many fine histories include Ida B. Wells (2000), draw heavily on the Crafts' personal accounts to add depth and drama to the carefully documented narrative. The handsome design includes lots of photos, archival artwork, letters, and newspaper accounts.

School Library Journal (Mon May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2006)

Gr 5-9-In 1848, light-skinned Ellen Craft, dressed in the clothing of a rich, white man, assumed the identity of "Mr. William Johnson" and, escorted by his black slave, William, traveled by railroad and boat to reach the North. With the passage of a more stringent Fugitive Slave Law in 1850, the couple, whose story was well known as a result of public speeches and accounts in the abolitionist press, decided to travel to England. Here they improved their education, perfected their occupational skills, and continued to cultivate influential friends. In 1869, they returned to the United States, opening a school and operating a farm in Georgia. Their lives were a continuing source of adventure and inspiration. This lively, well-written volume presents the events in their lives in an exciting, page-turner style that's sure to hold readers' attention. Black-and-white photographs, illustrations, and reproductions enhance the text. Relying heavily upon primary sources, including letters, diaries, and newspapers, the story unfolds in a smooth narrative with dialogue based upon the Crafts' own book, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom. This is an important and well-organized addition to any collection.-Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Voice of Youth Advocates

In 1848, with slavery at its height in Georgia, slaves William and Ellen Craft made plans to flee north. Ellen, who could pass for white, cut her hair and donned the clothing of a young gentleman. William posed as her personal slave. Their dangerous journey took them first to Philadelphia, then to Boston, and ultimately to England. With the aid of a network of abolitionists and free blacks, they learned to read and write, lectured about their flight, and worked hard to support themselves. After the Civil War, they returned to Georgia to establish a school for former slaves. The Fradins are careful historians and reliable researchers. Notes, bibliography, time line, and copious illustrations add to the book's usefulness. William and Ellen's frequently quoted words are from their own written account, so that these adventurous ex-slaves speak in a formal, somewhat-stilted nineteenth-century manner. The authors do not need to dramatize an already dramatic story, but their desire to be complete and accurate sometimes makes the book dry and plodding. The Crafts' resourcefulness comes through clearly, along with their determination to shake off their well-meaning patrons and become independent. Their admirable story will appeal to readers who are interested in African American and Civil War history, need a good biography, or just want a true tale of courage. The book is a natural resource for that perennial assignment to dress up as an historical figure and present his or her life story. Green glasses like Ellen's will be in demand.-Kathleen Beck.

Horn Book (Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

When her father, King Cupcake, is kidnapped by aliens, Princess Spaghetti takes the royal rocket to find him in outer space, where his captors are threatening to eat him. The story has the requisite kid allure (a princess heroine, comical villains with multiple googly eyes, desserts), but it adds up to a little less than the sum of its parts.