Technically it wasn't against the law in early nineteenth-century Kentucky for Lilly Ann Granderson to know how to read and write, and she shared these skills with other enslaved people in the "hope of a better future." When she was taken to Mississippi, her literacy was considered illegal, yet she found a place in Natchez to secretly gather with students under cover of night. After being caught, they were surprised when authorities did not forbid what they were doing, and Lilly's teaching continued into and after the Civil War. This inspiring true story, told in a straightforward style, provides good context, explaining why owners feared the education of the enslaved, and that, despite the dangers to Lilly (known in some documentation by different names and spellings) and the hundreds of her fellow African Americans she impacted, it was worth risking punishment and sacrificing sleep. The full-page earth-toned acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations depict the full drama, danger, and determination though some of the human figures are awkwardly rendered d are followed by an afterword, references, and quotation sources.

Halfmann tells young readers the little-known story of Lilly Ann Granderson, a slave who secretly learned to read and write alongside her master's children. As an adult, Granderson risked her life to educate other slaves. Earth-toned, realistic acrylic and colored-pencil illustrations are sometimes flat yet add emotion to the narrative. Back matter includes a contextual afterword and quotation sources. Bib.

Gr 2-4 A winning tribute to Lilly Ann Granderson, the Midnight Teacher. Granderson, who was enslaved, secretly learned to read and write as a child and passed on this dear knowledge to hundreds of other enslaved people despite the great risks. To avoid the notice and suspicion of white masters and patrollers, she hosted her school in the middle of the night. Halfmann's narrative follows Granderson's life pre and postCivil War, including Granderson's involvement in educating newly freed black people in the South. In the afterword, Halfmann delves further into this hero's legacy: her grandchildren and great-grandchild would go on to become college grads, U.S. congressmen, and more. Ladd's illustrations, rendered in acrylic and colored pencil, are realistic and done in an earthy palette of sandy browns and rich greens. Ladd adroitly conveys the tone of the narrative with dioramalike scenes and uses perspective to add intensity. VERDICT A top choice for any library serving elementary schoolaged children. Shira Pilarski, Farmington Community Library, MI