Alec's Primer

A Carter G. Woodson Honor Book (and award given by the National Council for the Social Studies), Alec's Primer is a children's picturebook based on the true-life story of Alec Turner (1845-1923), a boy born into slavery in Virginia. Alec's strong will kept getting him into trouble, and he was sent to work in the plantation fields for it. But his life changed forever when the granddaughter of his owner, Zephie, offered to teach him how to read. At the time slaves were forbidden to read, but Zephie told Alec that if he learned to read, he could become a free man. Just as Zephie predicted, Alec was eventually able to travel to Vermont and become a respected landowner; for the rest of his life, he kept the cherished reading primer that helped to transform his life. Beautiful color paintings by Larry Johnson illustrate this captivating story about the power of literacy to transform lives. Highly recommended especially for public and school children's library collections.

Five-year old Alec, born into slavery on a tobacco plantation in Virginia, had a sense of humor and an independent streak. These qualities did not sit too well with the plantation owner, Mistress Gouldin, who reassigned him from kitchen work with his mother to difficult outdoor work monitored by the plantation overseer. The passing of several years brought Alec an unexpected opportunity to learn how to read under the tutelage of the plantation owner's daughter, Zephie. Alec's initial fear of breaking the rules gave way to a deep desire to learn to read from the small primer that Zephie gave him. Empowered by the ability to read, Alec risked his life to escape from the plantation and join the union army during the Civil War. Based on true events in the life of Alec Turner, this compelling book is a useful resource for teaching younger children about the harsh realities of slavery in U.S. history. Using age-appropriate text and rich illustrations, Alec's Primer effectively communicates the hard work that was expected of plantation slaves, the dangers of breaking the rules, and the glorious feelings that came with freedom and social justice. This important book makes a valuable addition to any collection of picture books loaded with substantive content.

This is a very nice story about a slave boy growing up on a Virginia plantation. It is taken from a true story, and a little about the person is written at the end. It is well written and enjoyable for children, and gives them a peak at what life must have been like as a slave without be morose. It is also well illustrated. My 7 year old requests it be read to her on a regular basis.