Reviews

Gr 3-6-As a child in North Carolina, Coffin saw coffles of slaves on their way to be sold to plantation owners. As Quakers, his family did not approve of slavery; by the age of 15, the young man was aiding runaway slaves. However, it wasn't until some years later when he had an income that he could afford to give them food, clothing, shelter, and transport. When he moved to Indiana, his home became part of the Underground Railroad. For years, Coffin made major contributions to abolitionist causes and eventually founded the Western Freedmen's Aid Commission. This is an accessible account (although one must wonder why the author felt it necessary to include details of Coffin's wife's brief affair for this audience), and the brutality and horrors of slavery are not watered down. The one or two black-and-white line drawings per chapter, reminiscent of woodcuts, add to the text. This biography of a little-known hero will supplement studies of the period.-Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.