Sojourner Truth

Gr 4—8—Sojourner Truth was born as a slave named Isabella in New York in the late 18th century. When she walked to freedom as a young woman, she changed her name to Sojourner Truth and became a spokesperson for abolition. Mary Butler's well-researched biography (Rosen, 2003) relates the interesting and inspiring story of Truth's determination in clear and even prose. Butler refers to primary sources and uses a minimal amount of fictionalization. She gives alternate accounts of events disputed by historians, and does not shy away from controversy surrounding this fascinating historical figure. Have the print version available so students can peruse the historical photos and illustrations. The main narrative is read by Allyson Johnson in a clear, matter-of-fact tone, and she alters her accent slightly when quoting Truth. Information sidebars are announced by a chime and read by a male voice to distinguish them from the main text. Johnson reads through a short time line of Truth's life that appears in the end of the book, but the recording does not contain other reference material.This is a serviceable audio biography of an underrepresented and important historical figure and will be best experienced with the print version in hand.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT