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Daughters of the Faith #2
Courage to Run: A Story Based on the Life of Young Harriet Tubman
Daughters of the Faith: ordinary girls who did extraordinary things for God.
Harriet Tubman was born a slave on a Maryland plantation in the 1800’s. She trusts in God, but her faith is tested at every turn. Should she obey her masters or listen to her conscience?
This story from Harriet’s childhood is a record of a young girl’s courage. Even more, it’s a story of God’s faithfulness, as He prepares Harriet for her adult calling to lead more than 300 people out of slavery through the Underground Railroad.
“Young readers will identify with Harriet Tubman’s courage and faith as she uses the strength she gains through adversity to lead others to a new life of freedom. Highly recommended reading.” — Lauraine Snelling, author, Golden Filly and High Hurdles series
Harriet Tubman was born a slave on a Maryland plantation in the 1800’s. She trusts in God, but her faith is tested at every turn. Should she obey her masters or listen to her conscience?
This story from Harriet’s childhood is a record of a young girl’s courage. Even more, it’s a story of God’s faithfulness, as He prepares Harriet for her adult calling to lead more than 300 people out of slavery through the Underground Railroad.
“Young readers will identify with Harriet Tubman’s courage and faith as she uses the strength she gains through adversity to lead others to a new life of freedom. Highly recommended reading.” — Lauraine Snelling, author, Golden Filly and High Hurdles series
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2002
11 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Lawton
24 books28 followersWendy Lawton, award-winning writer, sculptor, and doll designer, founded the Lawton Doll Company in 1979.
Lawton is a long-time lover of classic Christian literature. She has written eight books in her young adult Daughters of the Faith series. These books were followed by a series of four teen books and a nonfiction adult book. She won the 1999 Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. She also won the famous Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for the intentional worst first line of a novel in the Children’s Literature category.
Lawton received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree on January 18, 2004, from Wilmington College, located in New Castle, Delaware.
She and Keith, her husband of 30 years, are the parents of three. They reside in Hilmar, California, where they farm 30 acres of almonds and care for two dogs, an aged goose, and five elderly cats.
Lawton is the Vice President of Books and Such Literary Management. See their website here.
Lawton is a long-time lover of classic Christian literature. She has written eight books in her young adult Daughters of the Faith series. These books were followed by a series of four teen books and a nonfiction adult book. She won the 1999 Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference. She also won the famous Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest for the intentional worst first line of a novel in the Children’s Literature category.
Lawton received an honorary Doctor of Arts and Letters degree on January 18, 2004, from Wilmington College, located in New Castle, Delaware.
She and Keith, her husband of 30 years, are the parents of three. They reside in Hilmar, California, where they farm 30 acres of almonds and care for two dogs, an aged goose, and five elderly cats.
Lawton is the Vice President of Books and Such Literary Management. See their website here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 25, 2022
This is a very well written story of Harriet “Minty” Tubman’s childhood. I wasn’t expecting it to just focus on her childhood, but this book presents the feelings and experiences that establish who Harriet was, that can get lost in so many other novels and biographies that race to her work on the Underground Railroad. While not a complete biographical novel, we see emphasis on her faith and the dilemma she and other slaves experience trying to know, as a Christian, when it’s appropriate to stand against evil or deal with subjugation.
We are given an accurate account of her childhood timeline, the blackouts she experienced, as well as insight into the day to day lives, fears, and treatment of slaves. It’s easy today to reject the sin of chattel slavery, but opportunities to thoroughly humanize slaves, like this book does, should not be missed.
And the narrator for the audiobook gets extra credit for her wonderful a cappella of the spirituals that existed in and inspired so much of Harriet’s life.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
There is nothing inappropriate in this book.
Parents may want to be prepared to answer questions about slave mistreatment and abuse, but the topics are very well handled and introduced.
We are given an accurate account of her childhood timeline, the blackouts she experienced, as well as insight into the day to day lives, fears, and treatment of slaves. It’s easy today to reject the sin of chattel slavery, but opportunities to thoroughly humanize slaves, like this book does, should not be missed.
And the narrator for the audiobook gets extra credit for her wonderful a cappella of the spirituals that existed in and inspired so much of Harriet’s life.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
There is nothing inappropriate in this book.
Parents may want to be prepared to answer questions about slave mistreatment and abuse, but the topics are very well handled and introduced.
December 26, 2018
An excellent book on the early life and influences of Harriet Tubman. Written for Middle school-ish age, I found this well worthy of an adult read.
October 7, 2024
I highly recommend the Audible version. This was excellent to listen to with my kids.
February 2, 2010
You may know who Harriet Tubman was, and what she did as an adult in helping other slaves, like herself. While reading this book, you'll find out what her childhood was like too, and how it formed her life into what she became.
Growing up, young Harriet's name was Araminta. (This was news to me.) Through the book, she's usually called Minty by her family & friends.
"Minty" lives in the servant's quarter on the Brodas Plantation, and works hard every single day of her life. She's constantly surrounded by her loving family and close-knit friends. Hymns are always being sung, while the slaves went about their daily work. Some of these songs are exactly what gives Minty the courage to face each new day.
"Go down, Moses.
Way down in Egypt-land.
Tell ol' Pharoh
To let My people go."
Harriet Tubman went through many trials as a child. For the most part, the slaves on the Brodas Plantation were treated fair enough, although sometimes they would receive harsh punishments. However when Minty was hired out as a maid to other people, she experienced daily thrashings. At the times when she was a hired maid, she was lonely and missed being with her family. She wanted to help others escape the heartache of her own experiences. Little did she know, that as she strengthened herself in the Lord, she was preparing to save other slaves' lives, and not just herself. Slowly, her courage grew.
Children and adults alike would benefit from reading "Courage to Run". I liked it very much, and it is my favorite book about Harriet Tubman. At any moment, I feel like I could start reading it again!
This book is a part of the "Daughters of the Faith Series".
Growing up, young Harriet's name was Araminta. (This was news to me.) Through the book, she's usually called Minty by her family & friends.
"Minty" lives in the servant's quarter on the Brodas Plantation, and works hard every single day of her life. She's constantly surrounded by her loving family and close-knit friends. Hymns are always being sung, while the slaves went about their daily work. Some of these songs are exactly what gives Minty the courage to face each new day.
"Go down, Moses.
Way down in Egypt-land.
Tell ol' Pharoh
To let My people go."
Harriet Tubman went through many trials as a child. For the most part, the slaves on the Brodas Plantation were treated fair enough, although sometimes they would receive harsh punishments. However when Minty was hired out as a maid to other people, she experienced daily thrashings. At the times when she was a hired maid, she was lonely and missed being with her family. She wanted to help others escape the heartache of her own experiences. Little did she know, that as she strengthened herself in the Lord, she was preparing to save other slaves' lives, and not just herself. Slowly, her courage grew.
Children and adults alike would benefit from reading "Courage to Run". I liked it very much, and it is my favorite book about Harriet Tubman. At any moment, I feel like I could start reading it again!
This book is a part of the "Daughters of the Faith Series".
September 11, 2018
I read this to my 6th grade son and 7th grade daughter for school as we are studying the 1800’s. Both of my children enjoyed this book as heartbreaking as it was at times but they also found it to be very inspirational! This woman was a woman of godly character who depended on the Lord to lead her! I try to read books to my children of TRUE hero’s that I want them to emulate and look up to. Harriett Tubman is certainly one of these heroins!!
This book uncovers the EARLY life of Harriet Tubman. We all know her as a courageous woman who was one of the leaders who helped 300 slaves cross through the Underground Railroad to claim freedom in the north. But what led Harriett Tubman to be the person she became? If she was born into slavery, who then instilled character and taught her the knowledge she needed to free herself and many others to run to the north? This book uncovers her relationships with her family and how that love shaped her as well as what she went through as a young slave.
One of the best reasons to read this book to your children is the character lessons this will teach them. Here is what my own children learned:
K: This book taught me to not complain as any struggle I may have in life is nothing compared to what Harriet Tubman went through. Instead, I need to have a positive outlook on life. It also taught me to have courage to admit when I am wrong.
M: I want to have courage when the time comes to admit when I am wrong.
This book uncovers the EARLY life of Harriet Tubman. We all know her as a courageous woman who was one of the leaders who helped 300 slaves cross through the Underground Railroad to claim freedom in the north. But what led Harriett Tubman to be the person she became? If she was born into slavery, who then instilled character and taught her the knowledge she needed to free herself and many others to run to the north? This book uncovers her relationships with her family and how that love shaped her as well as what she went through as a young slave.
One of the best reasons to read this book to your children is the character lessons this will teach them. Here is what my own children learned:
K: This book taught me to not complain as any struggle I may have in life is nothing compared to what Harriet Tubman went through. Instead, I need to have a positive outlook on life. It also taught me to have courage to admit when I am wrong.
M: I want to have courage when the time comes to admit when I am wrong.
February 28, 2019
Well-written, living history of Tubman's early years growing up. Slavery was terrible. The book shows the sad terrors of Harriet's young life with a starkness so vivid I thought it was too sad for my littler children to hear. A negative (or positive) of the book, depending on how you view it, is that it ends before she runs for freedom! I liked the Christian aspects of it, though they were weak theologically. I hear that after Uncle Tom's Cabin was written, many southerners complained that it wasn't a fair representation of the South, but I've now read three different accounts, all based on true stories, or biographies, that didn't show one good slave owner. I wonder how people can still defend them when the real life accounts from people like Tubman or Frederick Douglass tell us awful stories like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2019
This book was VERY interesting to read. This book tells the story of “Harriet Tubman” when she was still “Minty”, the girl and teenager – the part of her life not many know about.
A big theme in “Courage to Run” is courage. Harriet learns that doing the right this always takes courage: Sometimes it is courage to run, sometimes to stand and sometimes to return.
Harriet Tubman is a historical hero we can all learn from.
4 ½ from 5
A big theme in “Courage to Run” is courage. Harriet learns that doing the right this always takes courage: Sometimes it is courage to run, sometimes to stand and sometimes to return.
Harriet Tubman is a historical hero we can all learn from.
4 ½ from 5
May 2, 2022
This was a phenomenal children's historical fiction about Harriet Tubman. I love the music interwoven into the story. I love that her faith is so predominantly a part of her life. I love that it is not gratuitous in the violence, but it does not shy away from the hardship that she experienced in her early life directly related to being a slave.
I'm debating whether or not to make this a read aloud or include it as personal reading for my 5th grader ....
I'm debating whether or not to make this a read aloud or include it as personal reading for my 5th grader ....
February 2, 2025
Number of pages: 137
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Daughters of the Faith; order is irrelevant
Age recommendation: 10-14
Summary: Araminta “Minty” Ross is a slave on the Brodas plantation. Her mother hopes she’ll one day be a kitchen slave, so she can be saved from the brutality experienced by those that work in the field. But Minty can’t handle being cooped up in the house; she longs for the beauty and freedom of the outdoors. And when the opportunity for true freedom comes along, will she have the courage to take it?
My thoughts: I really like the Daughters of the Faith books; they’re always so interesting and I learn a lot. Although I already felt like I knew a ton about Harriet Tubman (when Minty grew up her mother gave her a new name: Harriet) before reading this book, I actually knew nothing of her childhood so this really opened my eyes to what it was like for her growing up.
I thought Harriet was very brave. She talks about having the courage to run - to get her freedom- and also the courage to stand - stand up against evil. She says that standing can be even harder than running, because you have to stay in the difficult situation. I didn't really think about it that way before, so I found it very interesting.
The book has nothing about Harriet’s grown-up life, but as someone who already knew a lot about her work on the Underground Railroad, I liked that the focus was on her early life.
Overall, it was a really interesting story that I really enjoyed reading. I would definitely recommend it to young girls!
My personal rating: 4.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: Daughters of the Faith; order is irrelevant
Age recommendation: 10-14
Summary: Araminta “Minty” Ross is a slave on the Brodas plantation. Her mother hopes she’ll one day be a kitchen slave, so she can be saved from the brutality experienced by those that work in the field. But Minty can’t handle being cooped up in the house; she longs for the beauty and freedom of the outdoors. And when the opportunity for true freedom comes along, will she have the courage to take it?
My thoughts: I really like the Daughters of the Faith books; they’re always so interesting and I learn a lot. Although I already felt like I knew a ton about Harriet Tubman (when Minty grew up her mother gave her a new name: Harriet) before reading this book, I actually knew nothing of her childhood so this really opened my eyes to what it was like for her growing up.
I thought Harriet was very brave. She talks about having the courage to run - to get her freedom- and also the courage to stand - stand up against evil. She says that standing can be even harder than running, because you have to stay in the difficult situation. I didn't really think about it that way before, so I found it very interesting.
The book has nothing about Harriet’s grown-up life, but as someone who already knew a lot about her work on the Underground Railroad, I liked that the focus was on her early life.
Overall, it was a really interesting story that I really enjoyed reading. I would definitely recommend it to young girls!
My personal rating: 4.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
June 26, 2019
I thought this book was very well-written. It was easy to read and follow and explained some of the details of slavery and the desire for freedom in a way that would make it interesting and informative for a young reader. Words are italicized and there is a glossary in the back. The story emphasizes Harriet Tubman's faith and how it was God who gave her the courage to escape slavery and help so many people.
September 10, 2022
Harriet Tubman is no doubt one of the most famous people during this era. So many movies and books have been made in her honor . . . but few of them actually capture how filled with the spirit she really was. They will often skim over the part about her being a devote Christian, when in reality, she might not have been the great influential leader she became if she didn't have Christ as her cornerstone.
October 9, 2024
This book was an excellent way to show my children a little more closely what slavery was like for kids. They had already read about Harriet’s adult life and work, so it was fine with us that this book only tells about her growing up years. I won’t say we enjoyed the book, because it is such a heavy story, but they wanted me to keep reading every day and it sparked some good discussions. It was good to see how Minty/Harriet learned to rely on the Lord through her incredibly hard experiences.
November 12, 2024
I read this with my son as part of his homeschooling and it was excellent. We've discussed the history of slavery throughout the world previously and this opened further dialogue. The author did a great job blending history with the fictional aspects, so it was hard to distinguish the two - except maybe the dialogue. I especially enjoyed that the author recommended a couple biographies of Harriet Tubman in the back of the book if you wanted to learn more about her life.
October 26, 2019
A wonderful book. Read aloud as part of our history curriculum. The formative childhood of this amazing woman and her faith in God struck a cord with me and all my girls (ages 4-10). A much harder and more realistic view of slavery and the risk of escaping to freedom than the American Girl books though those are also worth reading.
February 10, 2024
Although a kids book, it was very well done. The visualization of what it was like to be a slave was on point. The horrors, the continual caution, and even the small joys really put it in perspective in this telling of one of the most famous slaves of all. Now I can't wait to visit both the area where she grew up in Maryland and her post-slavery home in New York.
January 25, 2021
This books is a slightly true fictional account of the early life of Harriet Tubman, it's based on actual facts. It's a good middle grade read for kids who are learning about racism, slavery and/or Harriet Tuban
October 19, 2021
This is a realistic but not graphic look into life as a young slave. The end especially had really good points. She prayed for courage to run, courage to stand, and courage to return (if needed). Excellent summary of a very godly woman.
August 22, 2024
We read this as a read aloud for school. This book was so good. There is some mild language (stupid), but it portrayed the heart behind the person and really drove the point home of how things were for slaves.
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October 23, 2024Excellent book about the life of Harriet Tubman and her childhood that prepared her to be a Moses figure to her people. My children and I really enjoyed reading the story, but were very saddened by all that Harriet and other slaves endured.
October 19, 2017
some of the story is not for small or sensitive children. and we were sad that it ended before she actually began the Underground Railroad. this is only the story of her young girlhood.
January 18, 2019
Candace-awesome book! Can't wait to read to kids.
November 28, 2019
This book is based on the life of Harriet Tubman and tells about her early story before she escaped slavery. The book was easy and enjoyable to read.
August 24, 2020
This book is so inspiring and enlightening. I enjoyed it immensely.
March 7, 2021
I appreciated the opportunity to hear the perspective of Harriet Tubman's life as a child.
October 21, 2021
Courage to Run is the story of Harriet Tubman’s childhood. We read this as part of our homeschool curriculum and thoroughly enjoyed it. My 10 year old son looked forward to it each day!
November 30, 2021
We read this as part of our history curriculum. It was a fascinating tale about Harriet Tubman.
December 28, 2021
This book provides insight into Harriet Tubman's childhood that I had not read about before.
November 1, 2022
Read this with my kids and it really opens your eyes to what these poor children suffered through
October 16, 2023
Read this as a read aloud with my kids. Really good. interesting story of her earlier life that kept all my kids engaged and not wanting to stop at the end of each chapter.
September 27, 2024
Family read aloud - very good! My older children enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews