Overground Railroad
1 Hardcover/1 CD (see all formats)

STARRED REVIEWAward-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome shares for young readers the Great Migration experience of one family, as told through the eyes of their daughter. Traveling by train to New York aboard the Silver Meteor, Ruth Ellen relates her journey in verse, describing the sights and sounds, emotions and aspirations of her family as they make their way north and realize their hopes for a different life—one of possibilities yet to be experienced. Narrator Shayna Small brings personality and credibility to Ruth Ellen as she gives voice to the story of the family's flight and all the stops along the way. Dion Graham richly characterizes excerpts from Frederick Douglass' life that are interspersed throughout the tale, sharing the similarities between the Underground and Overground Railroad experiences. Graham also lends his voice to Daddy, and adds the seemingly insignificant, yet memorable, train stop announcements of the conductor. The audio production creatively intertwines the voices and setting, authentically representing the train ride and surrounding sounds, as well as the cadence of riding the rails and the lyrical narrative. The audio ably stands on its own, but when paired with the book and James Ransome's rich illustrations, it makes an exceptional package. Kudos to Live Oak Media for bringing to life the story "of people who were running from and running to at the same time." Highly recommended.

The rumble of train tracks, warm twangs of a banjo, and soft humming set the scene for this children's audiobook tracing one family's journey north during the Great Migration. Narrator Shayna Small embodies Ruth Ellen, the young Black girl who is escaping life on a tenant farm for a new life in New York. Shayna's voice reflects Ruth Ellen's mingled anxiety and joy at making the train journey with her parents, and the sadness of leaving other family members behind. Narrator Dion Graham calls out as the conductor in a booming voice and quietly joins in when Ruth Ellen reads from a worn copy of Frederick Douglass's chronicle of his escape to freedom. The skillfully layered audiobook mirrors the richness of the picture book's moving illustrations.