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Trouble Don't Last
Eleven-year-old Samuel was born as Master Hackler’s slave, and working the Kentucky farm is the only life he’s ever known—until one dark night in 1859, that is. With no warning, cranky old Harrison, a fellow slave, pulls Samuel from his bed and, together, they run.
The journey north seems much more frightening than Master Hackler ever was, and Samuel’s not sure what freedom means aside from running, hiding, and starving. But as they move from one refuge to the next on the Underground Railroad, Samuel uncovers the secret of his own past—and future. And old Harrison begins to see past a whole lifetime of hurt to the promise of a new life—and a poignant reunion—
in Canada.
In a heartbreaking and hopeful first novel, Shelley Pearsall tells a suspenseful, emotionally charged story of freedom and family. Trouble Don't Last includes a historical note and map.
The journey north seems much more frightening than Master Hackler ever was, and Samuel’s not sure what freedom means aside from running, hiding, and starving. But as they move from one refuge to the next on the Underground Railroad, Samuel uncovers the secret of his own past—and future. And old Harrison begins to see past a whole lifetime of hurt to the promise of a new life—and a poignant reunion—
in Canada.
In a heartbreaking and hopeful first novel, Shelley Pearsall tells a suspenseful, emotionally charged story of freedom and family. Trouble Don't Last includes a historical note and map.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
83 people are currently reading
1000 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Pearsall
20 books159 followersI have written seven novels for youth (ages 10 - 14) which have reached a half-million readers around the world. I'm currently working on several new projects, and I live an ocean-hopping writing life, moving between Scotland and the US.
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where I used to write stories in a bedroom closet (aka my writer’s office). I tried to get my first story published when I was thirteen. However, it took about twenty years before I succeeded. My first novel, Trouble Don't Last, was published in 2002. It received the Scott O'Dell Medal for Historical Fiction, among other honors.
In my seven published books, I've explored a wide range of topics and themes: geometry, pyramids, Elvis impersonators, art, neurodiversity, World War II, the Underground Railroad, and more. I've always believed in the power of books to build bridges and start conversations.
Over the years, my books have received many honors and accolades including: ALA Notable selections, Best Books of the Year, Amazon Book of the Month pick, Scripps National Spelling Bee bookclub selection, National Council for the Social Studies selections, and many state reading award nominations. They have been translated into Japanese, Korean, and Turkish.
Currently, I divide my time between Ohio and Scotland -- where I live in a renovated barn surrounded by hills with lots of sheep! I offer virtual visits and writing workshops for schools in the US and internationally. If you want to know more, check out my website: www.shelleypearsall.com.
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where I used to write stories in a bedroom closet (aka my writer’s office). I tried to get my first story published when I was thirteen. However, it took about twenty years before I succeeded. My first novel, Trouble Don't Last, was published in 2002. It received the Scott O'Dell Medal for Historical Fiction, among other honors.
In my seven published books, I've explored a wide range of topics and themes: geometry, pyramids, Elvis impersonators, art, neurodiversity, World War II, the Underground Railroad, and more. I've always believed in the power of books to build bridges and start conversations.
Over the years, my books have received many honors and accolades including: ALA Notable selections, Best Books of the Year, Amazon Book of the Month pick, Scripps National Spelling Bee bookclub selection, National Council for the Social Studies selections, and many state reading award nominations. They have been translated into Japanese, Korean, and Turkish.
Currently, I divide my time between Ohio and Scotland -- where I live in a renovated barn surrounded by hills with lots of sheep! I offer virtual visits and writing workshops for schools in the US and internationally. If you want to know more, check out my website: www.shelleypearsall.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
September 25, 2010
I grumbled through the first half of this book because I so did not want to read it. Shelley Pearsall is coming to visit our school, and so I had to read it. It just wasn't jiving with what my reading tastes were craving. But I kept going, and I am oh-so glad I did. I almost cried when I finished it about 5 minutes ago. This is a suspenseful and endearing book, one that is very deserving of its awards. I live in an Ohio town full of Underground Railroad history, and I cannot wait to have the author visit and talk about this excellent story of freed slaves. She did a great job of taking some adult ideas - the essence of freedom and the ugliness of slavery- and delivering them to children in a way that will make them see, feel and know how it was to travel from being a piece of property to a place where even the sky can belong to you. Great book.
March 1, 2016
Imagine being a 11 year old slave boy, and having no rights or anything like that. It would be hard, right? In my opinion, this was an amazing adventure and story. This book is about 11 year old Samuel and 73 year old Harrison, who are trying their hardest to escape from their owner, Master Hackler.
This book takes place on a farm in Kentucky, to their journey to the north. This is important to the story because it proves they started from Kentucky, on a slave farm, and go on a journey to hopefully be free. Samuel is awoken one night by Harrison, Harrison is carrying a backpack, and holding a lantern. He tells Samuel to get up and follow him, and Samuel does, not realizing what's happening. Long story short, the next day, they are hiding in a tree about 20 miles north of the farm. They go on a huge journey, going north. Eventually, they get to the so called, "free side." A white man commands them to fish for them, and Harrison is very depressed. He thought it would be different. Then, they meet a nice lady, who never mentions her name, and gets them on a boat to Canada. They are stopped by 4 white men with pistols, and they ask for their free papers. Out of nowhere, Samuel reaches into Harrison coat, and pulls out an old news paper. Then one of the men says, "What does it say?" And the man responds, "It says their free." After that, they live safely in Canada, and Samuel finds his lost mother and finds out the Harrison is his grandfather. The type of conflict is person vs person because they are always stopped by people and hit by people, etc.
The theme of this book is to never give up, look at where they started, and look at where they finished. That's some progress there.
The 1st person point of view affects this story because it makes it feel like you are in the story, I don't know how to put it, but it just feels like that. The title relates to the book because "Trouble Don't Last" means that trouble you get yourself into, won't last once you are long gone. In the story, they go through lots of trouble, and it makes them who they are. A major event that changed the character is when Samuel found out that Harrison was his grandfather, it changed how he thought of him.
I was surprised when the guy believed that the newspaper was their free papers, but then I looked it up and it turns out, basically no one knew how to read back then. If I were the author I would have maybe added a little more to the end, because the moment I finished it I wanted to read a sequel. I was satisfied with the way the book turned out in the end, it was an amazing book.
I would rate this book 5 out of 5 because it was in my opinion one of the best books I've ever read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure books and books with a good story. Just think if you ever think you're life is hard, just imagine what they went through.
This book takes place on a farm in Kentucky, to their journey to the north. This is important to the story because it proves they started from Kentucky, on a slave farm, and go on a journey to hopefully be free. Samuel is awoken one night by Harrison, Harrison is carrying a backpack, and holding a lantern. He tells Samuel to get up and follow him, and Samuel does, not realizing what's happening. Long story short, the next day, they are hiding in a tree about 20 miles north of the farm. They go on a huge journey, going north. Eventually, they get to the so called, "free side." A white man commands them to fish for them, and Harrison is very depressed. He thought it would be different. Then, they meet a nice lady, who never mentions her name, and gets them on a boat to Canada. They are stopped by 4 white men with pistols, and they ask for their free papers. Out of nowhere, Samuel reaches into Harrison coat, and pulls out an old news paper. Then one of the men says, "What does it say?" And the man responds, "It says their free." After that, they live safely in Canada, and Samuel finds his lost mother and finds out the Harrison is his grandfather. The type of conflict is person vs person because they are always stopped by people and hit by people, etc.
The theme of this book is to never give up, look at where they started, and look at where they finished. That's some progress there.
The 1st person point of view affects this story because it makes it feel like you are in the story, I don't know how to put it, but it just feels like that. The title relates to the book because "Trouble Don't Last" means that trouble you get yourself into, won't last once you are long gone. In the story, they go through lots of trouble, and it makes them who they are. A major event that changed the character is when Samuel found out that Harrison was his grandfather, it changed how he thought of him.
I was surprised when the guy believed that the newspaper was their free papers, but then I looked it up and it turns out, basically no one knew how to read back then. If I were the author I would have maybe added a little more to the end, because the moment I finished it I wanted to read a sequel. I was satisfied with the way the book turned out in the end, it was an amazing book.
I would rate this book 5 out of 5 because it was in my opinion one of the best books I've ever read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure books and books with a good story. Just think if you ever think you're life is hard, just imagine what they went through.
April 19, 2009
Trouble Don’t Last
Shelley Pearsall
239pp.
ISBN: 0-440-41811-9
Trouble Don’t Last is about the life of slaves and the journey of the Underground Railroad to freedom. This book is also about how when you are black you will always have a harder time because of your skin color, even in the free land. In this book an eleven year old slave named Samuel and Harrison an elderly slave ran away from their master’s home to Canada, where they will be free. Samuel has never been outside the master’s land, until the night Harrison and Samuel ran away. The only thing that Samuel knew about the outside world was the horrifying stories Young Master Seth told him. These stories mad Samuel very scared. During this journey Samuel and Harrison are always running away from the patrollers and hiding. And along the way they get help from white people and free blacks. Along this journey Samuel and Harrison finds out things about themselves that they never knew before. This started to make me think that how people have journeys in their life and each time they go on a journey they always seems to find out more things about themselves. But they learn about themselves through the mistakes they made during their journeys.
Shelley Pearsall did a great job portraying the purposes of journeys through Samuel and Harrison. And she did a great job showing the struggles of Slaves. This book is great but it has some very descriptive disturbing parts. This book is very powerful and moving and I recommend it to anyone.
Shelley Pearsall
239pp.
ISBN: 0-440-41811-9
Trouble Don’t Last is about the life of slaves and the journey of the Underground Railroad to freedom. This book is also about how when you are black you will always have a harder time because of your skin color, even in the free land. In this book an eleven year old slave named Samuel and Harrison an elderly slave ran away from their master’s home to Canada, where they will be free. Samuel has never been outside the master’s land, until the night Harrison and Samuel ran away. The only thing that Samuel knew about the outside world was the horrifying stories Young Master Seth told him. These stories mad Samuel very scared. During this journey Samuel and Harrison are always running away from the patrollers and hiding. And along the way they get help from white people and free blacks. Along this journey Samuel and Harrison finds out things about themselves that they never knew before. This started to make me think that how people have journeys in their life and each time they go on a journey they always seems to find out more things about themselves. But they learn about themselves through the mistakes they made during their journeys.
Shelley Pearsall did a great job portraying the purposes of journeys through Samuel and Harrison. And she did a great job showing the struggles of Slaves. This book is great but it has some very descriptive disturbing parts. This book is very powerful and moving and I recommend it to anyone.
March 1, 2015
There's an art in choosing books to give children. There's an even more precise skill in determining books to offer in a book club workshop setting. Historical fiction can be a challenge for many readers - and pin-pointing appropriate content with a fast-paced plot can be an even bigger challenge for teachers.
All that being said, Trouble Don't Last by Shelley Pearsall nicely toes the line for what's appropriate for middle schoolers. The plot never drags as Harrison and Samuel are confronted with a myriad of obstacles - but the reality of the time period is never fully indulged by the author.
So, in looking for a well-paced, appropriate book about slavery - Trouble Don't Last works.
Unless it doesn't - I'm giving it to my kids this week...
All that being said, Trouble Don't Last by Shelley Pearsall nicely toes the line for what's appropriate for middle schoolers. The plot never drags as Harrison and Samuel are confronted with a myriad of obstacles - but the reality of the time period is never fully indulged by the author.
So, in looking for a well-paced, appropriate book about slavery - Trouble Don't Last works.
Unless it doesn't - I'm giving it to my kids this week...
May 7, 2016
Trouble Don’t Last Book Report
Written by: Lucino Sotelo
Warning
Spoiler Alert!!!
If you want to read this book I suggest you not read this and if you don’t like to read be prepared for boredom
The author’s name is Shelley Pearsall there is no illustrator. She has also wrote a number of books such as The “Seventh Most Important thing” about a boy and how he is sentenced to work as a trash picker and finds out secrets about a friend that he never knew he had. Another book that she wrote is “Jump into the sky” about a boy trying to find his long lost father and has to go to the south to find him but it is dangerous time for him to go. Shelley Pearsall has also won the Scott O'Dell Award. The genre is Historical Fiction and the Sub-Genre is Adventure. It is an adventurous book. The point of view was first and it helped portray the character in a better way and helped you as the reader understand what the characters are thinking on their journey. Now I will give a brief summary on the book Sam is a 11 year old Slave on a plantation and always finds himself in the middle of trouble. He is always curious one day in the middle of the night old Harrison a fellow slave comes in the house where Sam sleeps and brings him to run away and they run into obstacles of uncertainty and question trust and the way Sam finds out a lot about his past and Harrison's.
The story takes place in a lot of places but I will tell you the important stops along there way. They start of at the master's house in Blue Ash Kentucky. where they make their escape then they go to the Ohio river and get across because of the river man, he gives them very good advice. Later they go to a church and hide there. Then later they got brought to Negro Hollow where Harrison gets sick and they stay there for a couple weeks then they get on a train cart that takes them all the way through most of Ohio. They get off the cart and caught right before they get on the boat to canada but thanks to some of the river man’s advice and sam’s quick thinking they outsmarted the Slave catchers and they got to freedom in Chatham Canada. The settings were mostly in houses that were part of the underground railroad and for a while on a train cart . The story takes place in September,1859 as mentioned in page 2. The setting changes the plot a lot because if they didn’t go on the underground railroad and say they tried to escape on their own then we wouldn’t have gotten the feel on how it was like to escape using a rocky system instead we would have gotten how it was like to have been escaping without help on your own. It could not have taken place in any other place in the world because slavery was only in North America and it couldn’t have taken place in another time because slavery didn’t exist in 1970 or 2010.
Now I will be talking about the characters. The main characters are Samual a twelve year old boy who finds himself in the midst of trouble and is fast and quick on his feet and is deceptive at times like when he tricks the slave catchers to believe that they had free papers to save them his companion Harrison on the other hand is almost the exact opposite he is slow,old and brings a little bit of wisdom and has seen a lot Because he had tried to run away before and is almost always cranky and trusts almost nobody like when the people from the church write their life story harrison doesn’t trust them and he rips the paper into shreds when they leave. Another person they meet along the way was Ordee Lee who is a runaway slave who is a supporting character and is strong like when he is chained to the ground the slave catchers say that he will be worth a lot of money because he is strong and a little sensitive because when they are chained to the ground and Harrison and Sam are still he is crying. Two other supporting characters are August and Belle they are both part of the underground railroad and help Harrison and Sam. These two are very useful and Belle is nice a way she shows this is by while they're there acting as a mother to Sam and August is protective because when Sam first comes in he points a gun at Sam because he can’t see in the dark just incase it is a slave catcher or someone like that. Even another supporting character is the River Man a mysterious figure who helps Sam and Harrison get across the Ohio river. His characteristics are being threatening and helpful he is threatening because when Sam and Harrison get on his boat he says that if they give him any kind of trouble that he will kill them himself because he is a wanted man. He is helpful because he gives some tips to Sam that later on help him out smart slave catchers and become free.
Now I will talk about the plot summary. The two main protagonists that we follow throughout the story are Samuel/Sam and Harrison.How I know that they are the two protagonists is because they are fighting for there freedom and escaping and when you fight for something that is right (freedom is right just to clear that up) than you know that there protagonists. The Antagonist is Slavery the way I now is because the protagonist doesn’t always conquer the antagonist in this book the protagonist tries to escape Slavery which in some ways is conquering it but if we look at it from a broader perspective conquering Slavery would mean conquering it for everybody and that didn’t happen until much later not to mention that it could not happen in a two month time span. The Supporting characters are Ordee Lee a slave that they run into in the end he becomes free with them he helped by not trying to help I know that it might sound confusing but the way he helped is by a sheet of paper he stole from his home that looked like free papers and Sam tricked the patrollers that those were there free papers. Other supporting characters are August and Belle these two helpful people are part of the underground railroad and took care of Sam and Harrison when Harrison was sick with lung fever they ended up staying at there house for a week or two and then when Harrison feels better they send them on a train. Even another supporting character is the River Man the book doesn’t give him an exact name and he helps the two get across the Ohio River before patrollers get to them and he teaches Sam some helpful skills that ended up being the only thing later that separated them from freedom in canada and being back in slavery. The story begins in the Master's house were Harrison brings Sam along for the bumpy ride to freedom . The rising action is how the relationship changes when Sam finds out that Harrison is his grandfather another part of the rising action is when Harrison gets really sick and is on the verge of death. The Climax is when Harrison,Sam and Ordee Lee get caught right before the enter the boat to freedom. The falling action is when Sam solves the problem by his quick thinking by out smarting the patrollers into thinking a paper that Ordee Lee brought was there free papers. The resolution is when they go to canada and get free and when Sam reunites with his long lost mother.
There are multiple morals I will just name a few. The first moral is to never give up this is shown multiple times one time is when Harrison gets sick Sam doesn’t just give up even if his companion is very,very sick Sam stays by his side and refuses to go on without him. Another way that is when they are caught and it seems hopeless Sam doesn’t give up and ends up saving the three because he didn’t give up.Another moral is always keep your head high or what they said keep eye on the sun. My proof is the chapter itself because the last chapter in the book is called keep your eye on the sun because that is when they get free through all of the ups and downs the still keeped there head up and kept believing they would get to freedom even when the times got tough. Another time they kept their head high is when they were stuck at the ohio river but this doesn’t stop Harrison he tries a signal that ends up saving them and in a way that kind of takes us back two my first one never give up. My last moral is sometimes you have to do something bad but for the right reason my first proof is that Harrison doesn’t tell Sam that he is his grandfather which might seem wrong at first but when you think about it and what they were doing say Harrison gets hurt and can’t travel any more or gets sick and Sam has to go on without him even though there very good friends it would make it much, much harder if he knew he was his grandfather that would be like leaving your dad and especially since Sam’s mom got sold away he would feel like Harrison was his only family. Another piece of proof is when of proof is when Sam and Harrison leave Lily behind at first it seems wrong to not even tell a fellow slave about there escaping but when you think about Lily a widow slave whose children died and she goes to visit them every week even harrison mentions it she would be leaving too much behind and she would not be happy so it was for the best.
I loved the chapter Haste will be your undoing because I felt like it was the highlight of the book the last and hardest barrier when they run into the slave catchers and it looks like all their hard work will be for nothing the three somehow make it out because of Sam’s quick thinking. Another chapter or passage that I personally enjoyed was The River Man where we learn about a mysterious man who helps Sam and Harrison get across the Ohio river. Another chapter or passage that I liked was Keep your eye on the sun that is the chapter when Sam,Harrison and Ordee Lee make it to freedom and Sam and Harrison reunite with Sam’s long lost mother and Harrison’s long lost daughter. My fourth favorite chapter is Harrison’s secret because that is when we learn why Harrison took Sam it is when we learn Harrison is Sam’s grandfather and I also like that chapter because they were in negro hollow and I loved all of the chapters when they were in negro hollow I also like August and Belle the free african americans who helped Sam and Harrison. My favorite literary element was the setting because it was the time and place that made this book the time was 1859 which means slavery if it even took place in 1866 it wouldn’t have been the same story because the civil war ended by then and slaves were set free and it couldn’t have taken place somewhere else because slavery was only in North America. I would recommend this book for 5th through High School students because it is an intense time when this took place and you have to have studied this time to know where these characters are coming from. I thank you for your time and energy I hope you learned something from this.
Written by: Lucino Sotelo
Warning
Spoiler Alert!!!
If you want to read this book I suggest you not read this and if you don’t like to read be prepared for boredom
The author’s name is Shelley Pearsall there is no illustrator. She has also wrote a number of books such as The “Seventh Most Important thing” about a boy and how he is sentenced to work as a trash picker and finds out secrets about a friend that he never knew he had. Another book that she wrote is “Jump into the sky” about a boy trying to find his long lost father and has to go to the south to find him but it is dangerous time for him to go. Shelley Pearsall has also won the Scott O'Dell Award. The genre is Historical Fiction and the Sub-Genre is Adventure. It is an adventurous book. The point of view was first and it helped portray the character in a better way and helped you as the reader understand what the characters are thinking on their journey. Now I will give a brief summary on the book Sam is a 11 year old Slave on a plantation and always finds himself in the middle of trouble. He is always curious one day in the middle of the night old Harrison a fellow slave comes in the house where Sam sleeps and brings him to run away and they run into obstacles of uncertainty and question trust and the way Sam finds out a lot about his past and Harrison's.
The story takes place in a lot of places but I will tell you the important stops along there way. They start of at the master's house in Blue Ash Kentucky. where they make their escape then they go to the Ohio river and get across because of the river man, he gives them very good advice. Later they go to a church and hide there. Then later they got brought to Negro Hollow where Harrison gets sick and they stay there for a couple weeks then they get on a train cart that takes them all the way through most of Ohio. They get off the cart and caught right before they get on the boat to canada but thanks to some of the river man’s advice and sam’s quick thinking they outsmarted the Slave catchers and they got to freedom in Chatham Canada. The settings were mostly in houses that were part of the underground railroad and for a while on a train cart . The story takes place in September,1859 as mentioned in page 2. The setting changes the plot a lot because if they didn’t go on the underground railroad and say they tried to escape on their own then we wouldn’t have gotten the feel on how it was like to escape using a rocky system instead we would have gotten how it was like to have been escaping without help on your own. It could not have taken place in any other place in the world because slavery was only in North America and it couldn’t have taken place in another time because slavery didn’t exist in 1970 or 2010.
Now I will be talking about the characters. The main characters are Samual a twelve year old boy who finds himself in the midst of trouble and is fast and quick on his feet and is deceptive at times like when he tricks the slave catchers to believe that they had free papers to save them his companion Harrison on the other hand is almost the exact opposite he is slow,old and brings a little bit of wisdom and has seen a lot Because he had tried to run away before and is almost always cranky and trusts almost nobody like when the people from the church write their life story harrison doesn’t trust them and he rips the paper into shreds when they leave. Another person they meet along the way was Ordee Lee who is a runaway slave who is a supporting character and is strong like when he is chained to the ground the slave catchers say that he will be worth a lot of money because he is strong and a little sensitive because when they are chained to the ground and Harrison and Sam are still he is crying. Two other supporting characters are August and Belle they are both part of the underground railroad and help Harrison and Sam. These two are very useful and Belle is nice a way she shows this is by while they're there acting as a mother to Sam and August is protective because when Sam first comes in he points a gun at Sam because he can’t see in the dark just incase it is a slave catcher or someone like that. Even another supporting character is the River Man a mysterious figure who helps Sam and Harrison get across the Ohio river. His characteristics are being threatening and helpful he is threatening because when Sam and Harrison get on his boat he says that if they give him any kind of trouble that he will kill them himself because he is a wanted man. He is helpful because he gives some tips to Sam that later on help him out smart slave catchers and become free.
Now I will talk about the plot summary. The two main protagonists that we follow throughout the story are Samuel/Sam and Harrison.How I know that they are the two protagonists is because they are fighting for there freedom and escaping and when you fight for something that is right (freedom is right just to clear that up) than you know that there protagonists. The Antagonist is Slavery the way I now is because the protagonist doesn’t always conquer the antagonist in this book the protagonist tries to escape Slavery which in some ways is conquering it but if we look at it from a broader perspective conquering Slavery would mean conquering it for everybody and that didn’t happen until much later not to mention that it could not happen in a two month time span. The Supporting characters are Ordee Lee a slave that they run into in the end he becomes free with them he helped by not trying to help I know that it might sound confusing but the way he helped is by a sheet of paper he stole from his home that looked like free papers and Sam tricked the patrollers that those were there free papers. Other supporting characters are August and Belle these two helpful people are part of the underground railroad and took care of Sam and Harrison when Harrison was sick with lung fever they ended up staying at there house for a week or two and then when Harrison feels better they send them on a train. Even another supporting character is the River Man the book doesn’t give him an exact name and he helps the two get across the Ohio River before patrollers get to them and he teaches Sam some helpful skills that ended up being the only thing later that separated them from freedom in canada and being back in slavery. The story begins in the Master's house were Harrison brings Sam along for the bumpy ride to freedom . The rising action is how the relationship changes when Sam finds out that Harrison is his grandfather another part of the rising action is when Harrison gets really sick and is on the verge of death. The Climax is when Harrison,Sam and Ordee Lee get caught right before the enter the boat to freedom. The falling action is when Sam solves the problem by his quick thinking by out smarting the patrollers into thinking a paper that Ordee Lee brought was there free papers. The resolution is when they go to canada and get free and when Sam reunites with his long lost mother.
There are multiple morals I will just name a few. The first moral is to never give up this is shown multiple times one time is when Harrison gets sick Sam doesn’t just give up even if his companion is very,very sick Sam stays by his side and refuses to go on without him. Another way that is when they are caught and it seems hopeless Sam doesn’t give up and ends up saving the three because he didn’t give up.Another moral is always keep your head high or what they said keep eye on the sun. My proof is the chapter itself because the last chapter in the book is called keep your eye on the sun because that is when they get free through all of the ups and downs the still keeped there head up and kept believing they would get to freedom even when the times got tough. Another time they kept their head high is when they were stuck at the ohio river but this doesn’t stop Harrison he tries a signal that ends up saving them and in a way that kind of takes us back two my first one never give up. My last moral is sometimes you have to do something bad but for the right reason my first proof is that Harrison doesn’t tell Sam that he is his grandfather which might seem wrong at first but when you think about it and what they were doing say Harrison gets hurt and can’t travel any more or gets sick and Sam has to go on without him even though there very good friends it would make it much, much harder if he knew he was his grandfather that would be like leaving your dad and especially since Sam’s mom got sold away he would feel like Harrison was his only family. Another piece of proof is when of proof is when Sam and Harrison leave Lily behind at first it seems wrong to not even tell a fellow slave about there escaping but when you think about Lily a widow slave whose children died and she goes to visit them every week even harrison mentions it she would be leaving too much behind and she would not be happy so it was for the best.
I loved the chapter Haste will be your undoing because I felt like it was the highlight of the book the last and hardest barrier when they run into the slave catchers and it looks like all their hard work will be for nothing the three somehow make it out because of Sam’s quick thinking. Another chapter or passage that I personally enjoyed was The River Man where we learn about a mysterious man who helps Sam and Harrison get across the Ohio river. Another chapter or passage that I liked was Keep your eye on the sun that is the chapter when Sam,Harrison and Ordee Lee make it to freedom and Sam and Harrison reunite with Sam’s long lost mother and Harrison’s long lost daughter. My fourth favorite chapter is Harrison’s secret because that is when we learn why Harrison took Sam it is when we learn Harrison is Sam’s grandfather and I also like that chapter because they were in negro hollow and I loved all of the chapters when they were in negro hollow I also like August and Belle the free african americans who helped Sam and Harrison. My favorite literary element was the setting because it was the time and place that made this book the time was 1859 which means slavery if it even took place in 1866 it wouldn’t have been the same story because the civil war ended by then and slaves were set free and it couldn’t have taken place somewhere else because slavery was only in North America. I would recommend this book for 5th through High School students because it is an intense time when this took place and you have to have studied this time to know where these characters are coming from. I thank you for your time and energy I hope you learned something from this.
May 5, 2016
Trouble Don’t Last Book Report
Shelley Pearsall was born in 1966 in Ohio. She has a husband named Mike and a son named Ethan. Some of her hobbies are: swimming, gardening, attending the theatre and spending time with family. Other books she has written are Jump to the Sky, Crooked River, All Shook Up, and The Seventh Most Important Thing.
For Trouble Don’t Last, the genre is historical fiction and the sub genre is adventure. The narrator is the main character Samuel, so the point of view is first person because Samuel is telling the story.
An 11 year old boy named Samuel works at Master Hackler's farm. He doesn’t have a mom, so two slaves named Harrison and Lily take care of him. One night, old cranky Harrison wakes up Samuel and together they try to escape to Canada, “The land of free.” They only bring a small sack of things for their journey. Do you think they will make it to freedom? Read to find out!!
The story starts at a plantation in Blue Ash, Kentucky. Samuel and Harrison climb a tree and spend the night in the branches before they go to a cornfield by the Ohio River. At the river, they meet the River Man, who takes them across to the other side.
Next, the River Man man brings them to a house that has a Widow Lady. The next night, the Widow Lady takes them to a church. They stay the night. The next morning, a woman named Mis Kettle puts them in a disguise so they can walk around without being noticed. Eggs, Mis Kettle’s husband, brings them to a peddler's house to sleep. He tricks them into wasting their money on a piece of cold bacon and a bad place to sleep. The peddler reads their fortunes and tells them that something bad and something unexpected will happen to them.
The next day Harrison is sick, but the peddler takes them to a place called Negro Hollow, where they stay for about a week. Finally, they get on a train where they get taken to Sandusky, OH. They get caught by patrollers, but the constable tricks the patrollers by saying Samuel and Harrison are free. They continue on their journey and cross Lake Erie to freedom.
Trouble Don’t Last takes place in the country in September of 1859 until the day they reach freedom. The setting has to be in the country because you could not run in a cornfield in the city, and in the city there are not acres and acres of land to build a plantation on.
My final reason that it couldn't take place anywhere else, is that it has to take place before 1865 because that was the year slavery was abolished.
Main Characters
Harrison: Samuel’s guardian. He is cranky and impatient, and always criticizes Samuel. His weakness is his legs that go very slow because of rigor mortis.
Samuel: An 11 year old boy that has a good spirit, NEVER stops talking and wants to know everything. He is also very smart and never gives up.
Supporting Characters
Master Hackler: The demanding plantation owner. His weakness is a slave named Lily that always gets him to lean toward doing what she wants, like not whip Samuel when he is bad.
Miss Catherine: Master Hackler’s wife. She is very rude, impatient and demanding.
Belle and August: Very nice freed slaves that save Harrison from lung fever.
Mis Kettle and Eggs: Very nice freed slaves that are good at disguising slaves so they can walk out in the open to a safe house.
River Man: A mysterious man with scars all over his face. He helps slaves across the Ohio River. He is very swift going through the woods.
Ordee Lee: A slave that they meet up with on the train. He is very jumpy, excitable, and very fast thinking.
The protagonist is Samuel because we follow him throughout the story. He helps his friends escape to freedom. The antagonist is slavery because they are fighting against the law of slavery. Slave catchers are all over the place are trying to get Samuel and Harrison back to their owners.
Some of the people that helped Harrison and Samuel are:
Belle and August, who help Harrison and Samuel by letting them stay in their home until Harrison gets rid of lung fever. The River Man helps them get across the river. Without him, they would’ve gotten caught by slave catchers. Finally, Mis Kettle and Eggs are nice people that help disguise Harrison and Samuel so they can make it to a safe house. Without them, they would’ve been caught by a passing slave patroller.
The story begins on a big plantation owned by Master Hackler in Blue Ash, Kentucky. Harrison was the handy man on the plantation. Lily was the maid of the house. She kept the house clean and the Hackler family's bellies full.
Harrison, well, he wanted to be free. So, in the middle of the night, he woke up Samuel and they stole a sack of things for their journey. Then together, they ran just off the plantation to a big tree to climb and hide. That is where the story starts!
The rising action is Samuel and Harrison crossing the river and almost getting caught! Also, when the River Man pushed a demanding woman back across the river to slavery. Another rising action is when Samuel and Harrison go to a chapel to spend the night. The next morning, Mis Kettle and Eggs gave them disguises so they could walk out in the open. But, a white man halted them and took their fish that Eggs had caught that morning. He threw one in the sand for them to keep. The final rising action is when Samuel and Harrison go to a little village called Negro Hollow. A couple named Belle and August save Harrison from dying from lung fever that he got that morning. A week later, August put them on a train, where they meet Ordee Lee. They stay on the train all day and that is where the climax starts.
The climax is when they get off the train around midnight and an abolitionist brings them to a cargo building where they spend the night. In the morning, they act like they are part of his crew. The abolitionist told them that this plan works every time. But, this time it didn’t. Samuel saw black boots while he was pretending to work, then he found himself being tied up and slammed to the floor. They brought the Constable over to decide what to do with them. The Constable asks for their free papers. Samuel thinks fast and gets the picture of Ordee Lee’s family and gives it to him. For some reason, or a miracle, the Constable looks down and says quietly, “They’re free!!!”
The falling action is when they go on a ship that takes them to Canada. When they are in the middle of Lake Erie, Ordee Lee says, “Where did the land go?” The final words are spoken by Harrison when he says, “Look up, look up at this beautiful free sky.”
The story ends with Samuel and Harrison reaching freedom and Samuel finding his mother. He also found out that Harrison is his granddaddy, so that means that his mother is Harrison’s daughter!
Some ways that Harrison changed are that he respected Samuel more as time went on. Instead of lying to Samuel, he started to tell him the truth. Some ways Samuel changed are that he became more disciplined and confident. He also wasn’t so clumsy. I think he became extremely brave on this long journey.
My final reason is that they both felt what it is like to be FREE!!!
I think one theme of the story is never give up. Harrison and Samuel never gave up throughout the story. If they did give up, they probably would not have made it to Canada. An example of not giving up is when they were about to get caught while crossing the Ohio River.
My next theme is to work together to succeed because without Harrison and Samuel working together, they wouldn’t have made it to Canada. If they were on their own, they would have failed. An example of them working together is when Harrison had rigor mortis and he had to get a piggyback ride from Samuel.
My third theme is good vs. evil because slavery is evil and freedom is good. In most stories, good wins over evil and that’s what happened in this book. An example is when they got caught, freedom won because the constable lied about them being free. Freedom wins over slavery, good wins over evil.
I really liked the book Trouble Don’t Last. I especially liked when they were about to get caught, but at the last moment they got away. Those parts were very suspenseful. Like the time they crossed the Ohio River just when the slave-catchers got out of the cornfield on the other side. And the time Master Hackler almost caught them in the tree. My final favorite suspenseful part is when they got caught on the harbor and the Constable lied and said they were free.
I really liked the setting in the story because it showed me what slavery was like in the late 1700’s and 1800’s. I liked how the story took place in a time when slavery was strong, and how the story taught me about how painful it was to be a slave.
I would recommend this book for pretty strong third grade readers through sixth grade readers. Third graders would enjoy the story, and it would be an interesting and quick read for sixth graders.
I hope you like my book report, and hope you read Trouble Don’t Last because it’s a really good book.
By: Jack J. Tepper
Shelley Pearsall was born in 1966 in Ohio. She has a husband named Mike and a son named Ethan. Some of her hobbies are: swimming, gardening, attending the theatre and spending time with family. Other books she has written are Jump to the Sky, Crooked River, All Shook Up, and The Seventh Most Important Thing.
For Trouble Don’t Last, the genre is historical fiction and the sub genre is adventure. The narrator is the main character Samuel, so the point of view is first person because Samuel is telling the story.
An 11 year old boy named Samuel works at Master Hackler's farm. He doesn’t have a mom, so two slaves named Harrison and Lily take care of him. One night, old cranky Harrison wakes up Samuel and together they try to escape to Canada, “The land of free.” They only bring a small sack of things for their journey. Do you think they will make it to freedom? Read to find out!!
The story starts at a plantation in Blue Ash, Kentucky. Samuel and Harrison climb a tree and spend the night in the branches before they go to a cornfield by the Ohio River. At the river, they meet the River Man, who takes them across to the other side.
Next, the River Man man brings them to a house that has a Widow Lady. The next night, the Widow Lady takes them to a church. They stay the night. The next morning, a woman named Mis Kettle puts them in a disguise so they can walk around without being noticed. Eggs, Mis Kettle’s husband, brings them to a peddler's house to sleep. He tricks them into wasting their money on a piece of cold bacon and a bad place to sleep. The peddler reads their fortunes and tells them that something bad and something unexpected will happen to them.
The next day Harrison is sick, but the peddler takes them to a place called Negro Hollow, where they stay for about a week. Finally, they get on a train where they get taken to Sandusky, OH. They get caught by patrollers, but the constable tricks the patrollers by saying Samuel and Harrison are free. They continue on their journey and cross Lake Erie to freedom.
Trouble Don’t Last takes place in the country in September of 1859 until the day they reach freedom. The setting has to be in the country because you could not run in a cornfield in the city, and in the city there are not acres and acres of land to build a plantation on.
My final reason that it couldn't take place anywhere else, is that it has to take place before 1865 because that was the year slavery was abolished.
Main Characters
Harrison: Samuel’s guardian. He is cranky and impatient, and always criticizes Samuel. His weakness is his legs that go very slow because of rigor mortis.
Samuel: An 11 year old boy that has a good spirit, NEVER stops talking and wants to know everything. He is also very smart and never gives up.
Supporting Characters
Master Hackler: The demanding plantation owner. His weakness is a slave named Lily that always gets him to lean toward doing what she wants, like not whip Samuel when he is bad.
Miss Catherine: Master Hackler’s wife. She is very rude, impatient and demanding.
Belle and August: Very nice freed slaves that save Harrison from lung fever.
Mis Kettle and Eggs: Very nice freed slaves that are good at disguising slaves so they can walk out in the open to a safe house.
River Man: A mysterious man with scars all over his face. He helps slaves across the Ohio River. He is very swift going through the woods.
Ordee Lee: A slave that they meet up with on the train. He is very jumpy, excitable, and very fast thinking.
The protagonist is Samuel because we follow him throughout the story. He helps his friends escape to freedom. The antagonist is slavery because they are fighting against the law of slavery. Slave catchers are all over the place are trying to get Samuel and Harrison back to their owners.
Some of the people that helped Harrison and Samuel are:
Belle and August, who help Harrison and Samuel by letting them stay in their home until Harrison gets rid of lung fever. The River Man helps them get across the river. Without him, they would’ve gotten caught by slave catchers. Finally, Mis Kettle and Eggs are nice people that help disguise Harrison and Samuel so they can make it to a safe house. Without them, they would’ve been caught by a passing slave patroller.
The story begins on a big plantation owned by Master Hackler in Blue Ash, Kentucky. Harrison was the handy man on the plantation. Lily was the maid of the house. She kept the house clean and the Hackler family's bellies full.
Harrison, well, he wanted to be free. So, in the middle of the night, he woke up Samuel and they stole a sack of things for their journey. Then together, they ran just off the plantation to a big tree to climb and hide. That is where the story starts!
The rising action is Samuel and Harrison crossing the river and almost getting caught! Also, when the River Man pushed a demanding woman back across the river to slavery. Another rising action is when Samuel and Harrison go to a chapel to spend the night. The next morning, Mis Kettle and Eggs gave them disguises so they could walk out in the open. But, a white man halted them and took their fish that Eggs had caught that morning. He threw one in the sand for them to keep. The final rising action is when Samuel and Harrison go to a little village called Negro Hollow. A couple named Belle and August save Harrison from dying from lung fever that he got that morning. A week later, August put them on a train, where they meet Ordee Lee. They stay on the train all day and that is where the climax starts.
The climax is when they get off the train around midnight and an abolitionist brings them to a cargo building where they spend the night. In the morning, they act like they are part of his crew. The abolitionist told them that this plan works every time. But, this time it didn’t. Samuel saw black boots while he was pretending to work, then he found himself being tied up and slammed to the floor. They brought the Constable over to decide what to do with them. The Constable asks for their free papers. Samuel thinks fast and gets the picture of Ordee Lee’s family and gives it to him. For some reason, or a miracle, the Constable looks down and says quietly, “They’re free!!!”
The falling action is when they go on a ship that takes them to Canada. When they are in the middle of Lake Erie, Ordee Lee says, “Where did the land go?” The final words are spoken by Harrison when he says, “Look up, look up at this beautiful free sky.”
The story ends with Samuel and Harrison reaching freedom and Samuel finding his mother. He also found out that Harrison is his granddaddy, so that means that his mother is Harrison’s daughter!
Some ways that Harrison changed are that he respected Samuel more as time went on. Instead of lying to Samuel, he started to tell him the truth. Some ways Samuel changed are that he became more disciplined and confident. He also wasn’t so clumsy. I think he became extremely brave on this long journey.
My final reason is that they both felt what it is like to be FREE!!!
I think one theme of the story is never give up. Harrison and Samuel never gave up throughout the story. If they did give up, they probably would not have made it to Canada. An example of not giving up is when they were about to get caught while crossing the Ohio River.
My next theme is to work together to succeed because without Harrison and Samuel working together, they wouldn’t have made it to Canada. If they were on their own, they would have failed. An example of them working together is when Harrison had rigor mortis and he had to get a piggyback ride from Samuel.
My third theme is good vs. evil because slavery is evil and freedom is good. In most stories, good wins over evil and that’s what happened in this book. An example is when they got caught, freedom won because the constable lied about them being free. Freedom wins over slavery, good wins over evil.
I really liked the book Trouble Don’t Last. I especially liked when they were about to get caught, but at the last moment they got away. Those parts were very suspenseful. Like the time they crossed the Ohio River just when the slave-catchers got out of the cornfield on the other side. And the time Master Hackler almost caught them in the tree. My final favorite suspenseful part is when they got caught on the harbor and the Constable lied and said they were free.
I really liked the setting in the story because it showed me what slavery was like in the late 1700’s and 1800’s. I liked how the story took place in a time when slavery was strong, and how the story taught me about how painful it was to be a slave.
I would recommend this book for pretty strong third grade readers through sixth grade readers. Third graders would enjoy the story, and it would be an interesting and quick read for sixth graders.
I hope you like my book report, and hope you read Trouble Don’t Last because it’s a really good book.
By: Jack J. Tepper
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May 5, 2016Trouble Don’t Last
This book is written by Shelley Pearsall (born on October 18 1966). She is also the author of All Shook up, All of the Above, Jump into the sky, and the Seventh Most Important Thing. The genre of the book is about adventure because they are on a journey from slavery in America to freedom in Canada. Some of the sub genres are drama and suspense and it has a bit of humor too. The reason I think these are the sub genre is because there are some part were they don’t know where they're going and it is dark and scary and the slaves meet random strangers who they think might captured them and put back into slavery. Then there are some funny parts like when they try to learn how to go fishing . The narrator of this book would be Samuel because he is talking about his previous personal experiences and he is also describing what is happening at that very moment. Samuel would be talking in first person. An eleven year boy named Samuel was born into slavery and was separated from his mother at birth. Samuel was being raised by a fellow slave named Lily. One night another slave named Harrison tells Samuel to get somethings for him so he could escape. Samuel decided to try to escape with Harrison and they were trying to get to Canada. Will they make it to Canada or will they get caught ?
The story takes place in several places. It starts at Master Hackler’s slave plantation in Blue Ash, Kentucky. Then Samuel and Harrison go to the Ohio River where they meet the river man and he takes them to the other side of the river. Samuel and Harrison then go to a widow’s house in Ripley, Ohio where they end up in a dark bunker under her house. They then leave the widow’s house and go to the Negro Hollow which was where a bunch of other runaway slaves were hiding. Samuel and Harrison leave again and head to the train that takes them to the boat that would take them to Canada. Could the story take place in Canada? No because slavery was illegal in Canada. The location would be described as a small town mixed with a sort of country style. The story takes place in the year 1859. The setting affects the story on how Harrison and Samuel have the disadvantage because it was a long time ago when there was slavery and they really had no one to help them. I do not believe that the setting could be changed because this story is about slavery and slavery took place in country and small town areas where plantations were located in America.
The main characters of this book is Samuel who is an eleven years old boy. He is an average height for a boy his age. He wears dirty white rags plus he’s very quick. Another main character is Harrison who is a old man. He’s wise and crabby. He’s not too tall and he also wears rags. The supporting characters are Lily, August, Belle,and the river man. The river man is filled with scars because his master whipped him with a belt that had a nail attached to it. Some of Samuel’s character trait is that he is scared because he always thinks the worst and always think they're going to get caught. For Harrison it would be that he is grumpy because he yells at Samuel. Samuel would be unique because he really smart and quick and not a lot of slaves are smart. What makes Harrison unique is that he’s one of the oldest slaves on the whole plantation, and he is also very wise and a lot of other slaves are not as wise as Harrison.
Only Samuel and Harrison are related to the plot .The protagonist of the story is Samuel and the antagonist of the story would have to be the slaves who are trying to track down Samuel and Harrison to put them back into slavery. The main supporting characters is Lily. She helps Samuel in many ways. Lily tells Samuel about what to do and what not to do. For example when Samuel was helping out in the kitchen, he got hurt by one of the masters because he did something wrong and Samuel did not want that happening to him again so Lily started to help him with doing the right thing. Samuel remembers the things Lily told him and somehow that information ends up helping Samuel and Harrison out with the problems at hand they came across during their escape. The story begins in Kentucky in Master Hackler’s plantation where Samuel was an eleven year old boy. He is a slave and one night he gets woken up by old Harrison who is also a slave. Harrison makes Samuel get something for him so he could escape but Samuel went with him instead. The relationship between Harrison and Samuel was bad in the beginning because Harrison would get upset when Samuel was getting worried and when he was talking and then he would yell at him. The only problem in the story was for them trying to not get caught. The most exciting part of the book is when they get off the train, head to the boat and they get caught. The way they get away from the men that are going to take them back to slavery were tricked by Samuel about having papers that says that they are free. So the men let them go and they head to Canada. When they both go to Canada they meet up with Samuel’s mother and Samuel lives with her for now on. Harrison is just glad to be free. Now they can do much more than they could as a slave. They have their own chores to do, and every once in while Lily writes a letter to Samuel and it has a dollar in the envelope.
The lessons or morals would be everyone is here to help you, you are not alone, or everyone can be free be . I say that because throughout the whole book Samuel and Harrison get help from random people they don’t even know, and if it weren't for those people’s help they wouldn't be in Canada. For example, the widow who hid them in her bunker. As well as August and Belle helped hide Samuel and Harrison in the Negro Hollow where they hid runaway slaves. Now they are happy and free in Canada.
I like the book a lot because the chapters end up really suspenseful, mysterious, or have shocking ends. For example in the ending of chapter 30, the slavers caught Samuel and Harrison. Another example is in ending of chapter 15 where Samuel finds out that Harrison has gray yarn and Samuel thought that it belonged to his mom. The book also has some humor in it. I really enjoyed the funny part of how the author details Samuel and Harrison experience on how they tried to learn how to fish. I think that the most compelling part of the entire story would be the plot. I say that because they are in a time where there is still slavery and they have to watch their back so they don’t get caught. I would recommend this people who are interested in slavery or history. Also to people who like drama or adventure. The grade level that should read this is 4th grade - 6th grade. I hope you read this book.
I rate this book 5 stars *****
THE END ( : have a good day
This book is written by Shelley Pearsall (born on October 18 1966). She is also the author of All Shook up, All of the Above, Jump into the sky, and the Seventh Most Important Thing. The genre of the book is about adventure because they are on a journey from slavery in America to freedom in Canada. Some of the sub genres are drama and suspense and it has a bit of humor too. The reason I think these are the sub genre is because there are some part were they don’t know where they're going and it is dark and scary and the slaves meet random strangers who they think might captured them and put back into slavery. Then there are some funny parts like when they try to learn how to go fishing . The narrator of this book would be Samuel because he is talking about his previous personal experiences and he is also describing what is happening at that very moment. Samuel would be talking in first person. An eleven year boy named Samuel was born into slavery and was separated from his mother at birth. Samuel was being raised by a fellow slave named Lily. One night another slave named Harrison tells Samuel to get somethings for him so he could escape. Samuel decided to try to escape with Harrison and they were trying to get to Canada. Will they make it to Canada or will they get caught ?
The story takes place in several places. It starts at Master Hackler’s slave plantation in Blue Ash, Kentucky. Then Samuel and Harrison go to the Ohio River where they meet the river man and he takes them to the other side of the river. Samuel and Harrison then go to a widow’s house in Ripley, Ohio where they end up in a dark bunker under her house. They then leave the widow’s house and go to the Negro Hollow which was where a bunch of other runaway slaves were hiding. Samuel and Harrison leave again and head to the train that takes them to the boat that would take them to Canada. Could the story take place in Canada? No because slavery was illegal in Canada. The location would be described as a small town mixed with a sort of country style. The story takes place in the year 1859. The setting affects the story on how Harrison and Samuel have the disadvantage because it was a long time ago when there was slavery and they really had no one to help them. I do not believe that the setting could be changed because this story is about slavery and slavery took place in country and small town areas where plantations were located in America.
The main characters of this book is Samuel who is an eleven years old boy. He is an average height for a boy his age. He wears dirty white rags plus he’s very quick. Another main character is Harrison who is a old man. He’s wise and crabby. He’s not too tall and he also wears rags. The supporting characters are Lily, August, Belle,and the river man. The river man is filled with scars because his master whipped him with a belt that had a nail attached to it. Some of Samuel’s character trait is that he is scared because he always thinks the worst and always think they're going to get caught. For Harrison it would be that he is grumpy because he yells at Samuel. Samuel would be unique because he really smart and quick and not a lot of slaves are smart. What makes Harrison unique is that he’s one of the oldest slaves on the whole plantation, and he is also very wise and a lot of other slaves are not as wise as Harrison.
Only Samuel and Harrison are related to the plot .The protagonist of the story is Samuel and the antagonist of the story would have to be the slaves who are trying to track down Samuel and Harrison to put them back into slavery. The main supporting characters is Lily. She helps Samuel in many ways. Lily tells Samuel about what to do and what not to do. For example when Samuel was helping out in the kitchen, he got hurt by one of the masters because he did something wrong and Samuel did not want that happening to him again so Lily started to help him with doing the right thing. Samuel remembers the things Lily told him and somehow that information ends up helping Samuel and Harrison out with the problems at hand they came across during their escape. The story begins in Kentucky in Master Hackler’s plantation where Samuel was an eleven year old boy. He is a slave and one night he gets woken up by old Harrison who is also a slave. Harrison makes Samuel get something for him so he could escape but Samuel went with him instead. The relationship between Harrison and Samuel was bad in the beginning because Harrison would get upset when Samuel was getting worried and when he was talking and then he would yell at him. The only problem in the story was for them trying to not get caught. The most exciting part of the book is when they get off the train, head to the boat and they get caught. The way they get away from the men that are going to take them back to slavery were tricked by Samuel about having papers that says that they are free. So the men let them go and they head to Canada. When they both go to Canada they meet up with Samuel’s mother and Samuel lives with her for now on. Harrison is just glad to be free. Now they can do much more than they could as a slave. They have their own chores to do, and every once in while Lily writes a letter to Samuel and it has a dollar in the envelope.
The lessons or morals would be everyone is here to help you, you are not alone, or everyone can be free be . I say that because throughout the whole book Samuel and Harrison get help from random people they don’t even know, and if it weren't for those people’s help they wouldn't be in Canada. For example, the widow who hid them in her bunker. As well as August and Belle helped hide Samuel and Harrison in the Negro Hollow where they hid runaway slaves. Now they are happy and free in Canada.
I like the book a lot because the chapters end up really suspenseful, mysterious, or have shocking ends. For example in the ending of chapter 30, the slavers caught Samuel and Harrison. Another example is in ending of chapter 15 where Samuel finds out that Harrison has gray yarn and Samuel thought that it belonged to his mom. The book also has some humor in it. I really enjoyed the funny part of how the author details Samuel and Harrison experience on how they tried to learn how to fish. I think that the most compelling part of the entire story would be the plot. I say that because they are in a time where there is still slavery and they have to watch their back so they don’t get caught. I would recommend this people who are interested in slavery or history. Also to people who like drama or adventure. The grade level that should read this is 4th grade - 6th grade. I hope you read this book.
I rate this book 5 stars *****
THE END ( : have a good day
June 3, 2021
An amazing escape story.
February 8, 2023
Really good book. Had lots of plot twists which made it exciting.
December 12, 2020
Solid historical fiction with a strong example of relationship.
April 27, 2008
this is a must read! Samuel is a twelve year old slave boy. His mother was sold as wagers for a poker game when he was young. That left Lily, the kitchen slave, and Harrison, the old outside slave, left with his raising. His Master was cruel so one night Harrison decided to run and took Samuel with him. This story gives an account of how the Underground Railroad worked. Many people worked together but some even took advantage of the runaways by charging them money. They finally reached Canada through the quick thinking of Samuel.A very suspesful book.
May 26, 2018
A great piece of historical fiction about the underground railroad told from the perspective of slaves who were running away from a plantation in Kentucky. The story was riveting, the characters were well developed, and the short chapters were often so suspenseful that children would be aching to keep reading. I immediately ordered another of Pearsall's books when I finished reading this one because I was so enthralled by her writing.
April 1, 2018
“Truth is, trouble follows me like a shadow.” This is a quote from the book that I read called Trouble Don’t Last by Shelley Pearsall. This quote is directed toward the main character, Samuel. Samuel is a slaved boy that is owned by Master Hackler. After he was born, his mother was sold off to some other master before Samuel was even old enough to remember her. After Samuel’s Mom was sold off, Master Hacklers other older slaves, Harrison and Lilly, both had to raise Samuel up like he was one of their own, even though he wasn’t. Lilly and Harrison always told Samuel that he was a lot of trouble, so that is why this quote makes sense. Samuel was raised up at Master Hackler’s until he was eleven. THe reason I say this is because He left when he was eleven. Harrison wanted to run away one night and Samuel was left the choice to go with him or let him leave. Samuel chose to go with him to freedom from being a slave in Canada.
First, one thing that I liked about this book is that it is dramatic. For example, when Samuel is having to make the decision, the book keeps on bringing up how Samuel’s decision went against him. During certain parts of the story Samuel regrets running off. The drama in this book makes you learn a lesson as you’re reading this book. This book brings drama to a comparison of life.
Also, another thing that was very cool about this book is the storyline throughout the book. The storyline is suspenseful during certain parts. For example, when Samuel and Harrison are hiding in a hollowed out tree trunk and Master Hackler is looking for them, it is suspenseful because you don’t know whether or not they are going to get caught. The reader not knowing this makes it suspenseful. The suspense in this book is what makes it exciting and interesting.
Additionally, one more thing that is unique about this book is the fact that it kind of lets you experience the story. It is like virtual reality the way that the author uses imagery to describe the plot. For example, when Samuel and Harrison crossed the Ohio River, the author’s imagery makes it feel like you’re actually crossing the river. It is so outstanding and it is like being in the story. Being able to experience the story through the author’s imagery is really cool.
Lastly, one more amazing thing about this book is that it is emotional. There are some parts in the book that are very emotional when you think about how life used to be. It is not so emotional to where you cry but it is just emotional to where you stop and think about how things used to be. For example, at the end of the book when they make it to Canada it is emotional because Samuel will get to see his mom. The end will make you smile because they made it to freedom. Once you read the end you will be thinking about the book while you’re smiling.
After reading this, I think this book was very life-related, interesting, and enjoyable. There were certain qualities about this book that I myself think made it more interesting. I would most likely rate this book with 5 out of 5 stars. I would absolutely suggest reading it, for I thought it was an amazing and outstanding book. The storyline is very interesting and teaches a life lesson. I would have to say that this is one of my top three favorite books that I have read.
First, one thing that I liked about this book is that it is dramatic. For example, when Samuel is having to make the decision, the book keeps on bringing up how Samuel’s decision went against him. During certain parts of the story Samuel regrets running off. The drama in this book makes you learn a lesson as you’re reading this book. This book brings drama to a comparison of life.
Also, another thing that was very cool about this book is the storyline throughout the book. The storyline is suspenseful during certain parts. For example, when Samuel and Harrison are hiding in a hollowed out tree trunk and Master Hackler is looking for them, it is suspenseful because you don’t know whether or not they are going to get caught. The reader not knowing this makes it suspenseful. The suspense in this book is what makes it exciting and interesting.
Additionally, one more thing that is unique about this book is the fact that it kind of lets you experience the story. It is like virtual reality the way that the author uses imagery to describe the plot. For example, when Samuel and Harrison crossed the Ohio River, the author’s imagery makes it feel like you’re actually crossing the river. It is so outstanding and it is like being in the story. Being able to experience the story through the author’s imagery is really cool.
Lastly, one more amazing thing about this book is that it is emotional. There are some parts in the book that are very emotional when you think about how life used to be. It is not so emotional to where you cry but it is just emotional to where you stop and think about how things used to be. For example, at the end of the book when they make it to Canada it is emotional because Samuel will get to see his mom. The end will make you smile because they made it to freedom. Once you read the end you will be thinking about the book while you’re smiling.
After reading this, I think this book was very life-related, interesting, and enjoyable. There were certain qualities about this book that I myself think made it more interesting. I would most likely rate this book with 5 out of 5 stars. I would absolutely suggest reading it, for I thought it was an amazing and outstanding book. The storyline is very interesting and teaches a life lesson. I would have to say that this is one of my top three favorite books that I have read.
March 3, 2019
The book that I was reading is TROUBLE DON'T LAST the author is Shelley Pearsall. The setting is back when there was slaves it doesn't really say what year it is. The characters are Samuel is the main character, Harrison is an older man that is also a slave, Lilly that raised Samuel like her own. It actually took me awhile to find this book because, the cover is all worn out and is a dull purple so it didn't really catch my attention right away. I saw it beside a book that seemed interesting then I picked this one up and the boy on the cover cought my attention and, it just went from there.
This book is about Samuel and Harrison's story on how they ran away to get to the free land so they won't be slaves anymore. They meet multiple people that helped them get to freedom. There were times they almost got cought and taken but, they didn't let it stand in their way.
I liked the ending it went the way I thought it would but, I disliked one thing that happened that I didn't think was going to happen but it did. I can't tell you without spoiling it so I will just let you find out yourself. My favorite part in the book was when Samuel got really scared and started running because, he heard some noise in the woods and thought it was a snake that was chasing him. There was nothing there he was just scared it was so funny.
My personal opinion about this book is that it was really good there was a little bit of comedic relief from all the seriousness and, I like that she did that. A book that reminds me of this one is Uncle Tom's Cabin. If you like reading books that kind of touches your heart a little bit by a good story then you will like this one.
This book is about Samuel and Harrison's story on how they ran away to get to the free land so they won't be slaves anymore. They meet multiple people that helped them get to freedom. There were times they almost got cought and taken but, they didn't let it stand in their way.
I liked the ending it went the way I thought it would but, I disliked one thing that happened that I didn't think was going to happen but it did. I can't tell you without spoiling it so I will just let you find out yourself. My favorite part in the book was when Samuel got really scared and started running because, he heard some noise in the woods and thought it was a snake that was chasing him. There was nothing there he was just scared it was so funny.
My personal opinion about this book is that it was really good there was a little bit of comedic relief from all the seriousness and, I like that she did that. A book that reminds me of this one is Uncle Tom's Cabin. If you like reading books that kind of touches your heart a little bit by a good story then you will like this one.
November 2, 2022
This was a very nice story that illustrates the world of slavery in a refreshing light. Eleven-year-old Samuel was born a slave. He never knew his mother because she was sold when he was too young to remember. He has spent his entire life on one plantation. Until one fateful night when Old Harrison, the man who helped raise him, calls to him in the night and takes him further than he ever thought possible. This book shows the harsh realities of slavery without being too graphic and disturbing, but it also shows the kindness of those who helped operate the underground railroad and how slaves found their way onto its tracks. The novel doesn't play favorites and shows the good and the bad in ALL the humans involved in this world, no matter the color of their skin. It is realistic and rings true in a world that wants to make one skin color the good guys and one the bad, when humanity is and always has been more complex than that. I would say this novel is geared more toward a younger audience, maybe middle school age, but it was a great book, better than many that are currently being taught.
April 18, 2019
This was one of the books my district provides for the 6th grade classroom libraries. I hadn't read it before so I decided to give it a read.
In a way, I was disappointed. I knew it was an African-American book meant to diversify my classroom library. It just seems that the majority of books provided to me for African-American males are either about gangs or slavery. I'd like more books about normal, modern, middle class African American males for the middle grades because that's actually what the majority of my students are.
But I have to think of the students' perspective. They're still learning about slavery. They don't have the history background I have. From that point of view, this is a solid read about the Underground Railroad and the realities of slave life. What would drive a person to leave all he/she knows to some unknown place and people? Hope is strong!
That is something I want for my students. With all the bad news in media and social media, I want them to remember that hope is strong.
In a way, I was disappointed. I knew it was an African-American book meant to diversify my classroom library. It just seems that the majority of books provided to me for African-American males are either about gangs or slavery. I'd like more books about normal, modern, middle class African American males for the middle grades because that's actually what the majority of my students are.
But I have to think of the students' perspective. They're still learning about slavery. They don't have the history background I have. From that point of view, this is a solid read about the Underground Railroad and the realities of slave life. What would drive a person to leave all he/she knows to some unknown place and people? Hope is strong!
That is something I want for my students. With all the bad news in media and social media, I want them to remember that hope is strong.
February 26, 2018
A great escaped-slave narrative that made me realize, even more, just how difficult it would be to attempt an escape like this. Samuel has never spent a day of his life outside the plantation where he was born, he can't read, and he's never seen a map to know where Canada is: how hard would that be to escape? And yet he did (and, more importantly, real-life enslaved people did).
One thing I didn't enjoy, though, was the fact that (HUGE SPOILER ALERT)
But hey, if that actually happened once or twice in history, then I stand corrected.
One thing I didn't enjoy, though, was the fact that (HUGE SPOILER ALERT)
But hey, if that actually happened once or twice in history, then I stand corrected.
June 27, 2019
My husband and I enjoyed this wonderful story when we read it together. It was fascinating and enlightening. The story of slavery in our country is an important one, and this story told from the perspective of an 11 yr. old boy made for a great escape story. It also showed how the underground railroad worked and the chances people took to aide in helping slaves. It also showed that not all people favored slavery. The ill-treatment of the people trapped in slavery was eye opening. I recommend it for a family read aloud. Many important issues addressed that could lead to great family discussions. A very worthy read...
October 17, 2022
Reminds me a bit of Elijah of Buxton, but perhaps without some of the spunk and from the opposite end of the Underground Railroad. Samuel is taken north by elderly slave, Harrison. They experience the stresses of the journey many slaves experienced grading north in the Underground Railroad, but seem to be acted upon rather than dynamic actors themselves. The characters are likeable and the story makes sense. The wisdom and heart pains expressed by Harrison are of the most value.
Read for the Davis School District ELA curriculum board. Literary merit isn’t stupendously high and I feel it is closer to a 5-6th grade level, so curious about the request for approval at a secondary level.
Read for the Davis School District ELA curriculum board. Literary merit isn’t stupendously high and I feel it is closer to a 5-6th grade level, so curious about the request for approval at a secondary level.
July 22, 2020
This was a heart-pounding page turner from page one to the end. Pearsall does an amazing job vividly painting the journey on the Underground Railroad. Samuel is endearing with his timid and naive ways. Harrison has earned his right to be jaded, grumpy, and suspicious. The contrast between the two characters highlights the difficulties in knowing who to trust when the stakes are so high. This would make an excellent addition to any middle school curriculum covering this time period in American history.
December 5, 2017
The front of the book says "Astonishing...a thrilling escape story. - Booklist". Astonishing? Thrilling? While it is a good book, I honestly wouldn't use either of those words to describe it because I found it to be neither. It was interesting, accurate, and a good book for middle readers about the Underground Railroad. I guess I expected more suspense and surprise. The Booklist quote may have hyped it up too much for me.
May 24, 2019
One of my all time favorites. As a reader you will follow the path of two runaway slaves on their path to freedom through the state of Ohio to reach Canada. The author did extensive research in writing the book including spending time in the woods of southern Ohio to understand the sites and sounds people running away from slavery would have heard. I was so inspired after reading this book I traveled to the locations mentioned in the story. A powerful read.
February 14, 2020
Excerpt of review submitted to Sound Commentary.
Eleven-year-old Samuel was born a slave in Kentucky and lives under the strict rules of his household. He is often in trouble for making mistakes. When he is woken in the middle of the night by grumpy old Harrison he doesn’t know what to think but he knows he is going to be in trouble. When he realizes that Harrison is planning for them to run away (“Harrison is stealing me!”), it is too late.
Those with special interest adventurous escapes, in the American South during slavery, or in stories about the enslaved seeking freedom through journeys to the North will be especially pleased with this one. Because it’s middle grade, there are references to the hardships on plantations worked by enslaved folks without much gruesomeness. There’s some light adventure scariness (e.g., being chased, possible bad guys in dark spaces, etc.)
Eleven-year-old Samuel was born a slave in Kentucky and lives under the strict rules of his household. He is often in trouble for making mistakes. When he is woken in the middle of the night by grumpy old Harrison he doesn’t know what to think but he knows he is going to be in trouble. When he realizes that Harrison is planning for them to run away (“Harrison is stealing me!”), it is too late.
Those with special interest adventurous escapes, in the American South during slavery, or in stories about the enslaved seeking freedom through journeys to the North will be especially pleased with this one. Because it’s middle grade, there are references to the hardships on plantations worked by enslaved folks without much gruesomeness. There’s some light adventure scariness (e.g., being chased, possible bad guys in dark spaces, etc.)
March 8, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. I think this book offered a great insight into the lives of enslaved people- it definitely doesn’t sugarcoat the struggles of those working on a plantation, those trying to run away, and even those with their free papers. I like how the author pulled from true stories written in accounts from the Underground Railroad and meshed this together with her own fictional creation.
November 15, 2019
The story of two slaves who in 1859 try a desperate attempt to escape slavery using the Underground Railway. One an old beaten down slave prepared to escape or die trying and a young reluctant boy more frightened of the unknown than of his enslavement. A fiction account based on documents, letters, records and memoirs of the time, make the story read like non-fiction.
February 24, 2021
My favorite book as a child. I read this around 2nd grade and it was so crucial to the development of my morals and ethics. I think back on the complex themes and depictions of slavery were very influential to how I perceive matters on the subject of race and oppression.
A beautiful book that can be enjoyed by readers both young and old.
A beautiful book that can be enjoyed by readers both young and old.
November 14, 2023
My daughter's 5th grade class read this as an assignment for their civil war curriculum. She asked me to read it when she finished. I'm glad I did. It took me a while to get through it, even though it is fairly short and written for younger audiences. It's just so sad. Told from the point of view of a runaway slave, it showcases the heartbreak and terror that slaves in this country faced.
March 6, 2018
This book is about a child and an old man who has escaped there masters slave farm to find Canada. Its a slow starter, but then it gets kinda good. I wouldn't recommend this book to people who like books where you could sit there for hours reading because it's just not that good.
March 5, 2019
This book was full of adventure about a runaway slave boy and his aged slave friend. They come across many different characters traveling from Kentucky to Canada via the Underground Railroad.
Language: None
Sex: None
Violence: Beatings (Not discriptive)
Language: None
Sex: None
Violence: Beatings (Not discriptive)
October 24, 2019
Excellent and captivating read. I read this to my students to help them get a better feel for what slaves endured. Realistic without being too scary, gives a good glimpse into what someone their own age may have thought and felt as he was running towards freedom.
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