''Underground to Canada'' is an historical novel for young readers by Barbara Smucker. It was first published in Canada in 1977 and published in the United States the following year as ''Runaway to Freedom: A Story of the Underground Railway''. Based partially on a true story, the novel is set in the United States and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

in the years leading up to the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

and depicts the hard lives of slaves in the American South and the people who helped them escape to Canada via the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

. The novel is studied in many Canadian schools.

Plot

Julilly was born a slave on the Hensen Cotton Plantation in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. Her initial happy life was changed when slave traders from the Deep South arrived. Julilly was taken from her mother's arms and moved to The Riley Plantation in Mississippi, where she meets Liza, an injured girl who needs help making it to the land of the free-Canada. After a week or so on the plantation, Alexander Ross, an

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

from Canada, arrives disguised as a

bird watcher Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, ...

to free the two girls along with Lester and Adam. They set off at the dead of night and travel around the country with help from the conductors of the

. However, Adam and Lester are captured and taken back to the Riley Plantation, leaving the girls to fend for themselves. They finally make it to Canada and are free. Lester also meets them there, while Adam has died. Julilly finally reunites with her mother, who adopts Liza. Although they still face discrimination in Canada, they are prepared to build a life together.

Publication history

''Underground to Canada'' was first published in 1977. It was then republished with a new cover in 1999 and again for a 25th Anniversary Edition in 2013 by Puffin Classics.

Controversy

Due to the use of the word ''

nigger In the English language, the word ''nigger'' is an ethnic slur used against black people, especially African Americans. Starting in the late 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been progressively replaced by the euphemism , notably in cases ...

'' in the novel, many parents found the book upsetting and feared it would contribute to an emergence of

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonis ...

in the classroom. Complaints were filed against the use of the book in a

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

classroom in 1998 and in a

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

classroom in 2002. Those who disagreed with the novel being taught in their children's classrooms disliked the image that it gave black people and argued that it spoke too lightly of slavery. Lawrence Hill, the introductory speaker in the 25th Anniversary Edition of the book, agreed that it was a lighter speculation of a racist history, but that it also was written in a way for young readers to understand the barbaric situation.

Honors and awards

Barbara Smucker won several awards over her career as a children's novelist, including Canada Council Children's Literature Prize, the Brotherhood Award from the

National Conference of Christians and Jews The National Conference for Community and Justice is an American social justice organization focused on fighting biases and promoting understanding between people of different races and cultures. The organization was founded in 1927 as the Natio ...

, the Vicky Metcalf Award, the Violet Downey Book Award from IODE Canada, and received additional honors from multiple secondary education institutions. ''Underground to Canada'' has received numerous international awards and honorable mentions since its creation. Despite the challenges the book has faced, it has been awarded Children's Book Center (one of the 50 best books of all time in Canada), IBBY Honour Book, Brotherhood Award (National Conference of Christians and Jews), All-Japan Library Committee and Catholic Teachers Association of West Germany, 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up, Vicky Metcalf Award, Shalom Readers Club Book List and many others.

References

External links

''Underground to Canada''
on

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