The Listeners

Tales of Young Americans

by Gloria Whelan, Mike Benny (Illustrator)

Ella May lives on a plantation but she doesn’t live in the great house. She is a slave. It’s dark in the morning when Ella May heads to the fields to pick cotton. And it’s sunset when she comes home. But her day isn’t done, not yet. Ella May still has important work to do. She’s got to listen.

Each night Ella May and her friends secretly listen outside the windows of their master’s house. The children listen in the hopes of gleaning information about their fates and those of their loved ones. Who will be sold? Who will stay?

The lives of slaves depended on the inclinations of their owners. They had no control over their daily lives or futures. But they could dream. And when the promise of freedom appears on the horizon, the children are the first to hear it.

Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 9/8/2009 Pages: 40 Reading Level: Age 6 and Up

Genres: Historical Fiction, Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Historical, African American, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2009

About the author

Gloria Whelan is the best-selling author of many novels for young readers, including Homeless Bird, winner of the National Book Award; Fruitlands: Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect; Angel on the Square and its companion, The Impossible Journey; Once on This Island, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award; Farewell to the Island; and Return to the Island. She lives with her husband, Joseph, in the woods of northern Michigan.

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only way slaves on the farm know what is going on is to set their children under the windows of the house and have them listen to the white household talking among themselves. In this story, three young children listen at the windows each night to learn momentous events taking place within on the farm and in the larger world.

I love this story, and I love these illustrations.

[Becky Birtha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it refreshing to read a picture book on African Americans during the time of slavery that wasn't about escaping on the underground railroad. Ella May, who tells the story, and her friends Sue and Bobby, work during the day, as their parents do. But after supper, the children have the additional task of hiding near the windows of the master's house, to listen for news that may be useful to their parents. The Listeners touches on quite a few historical details, including cotton picking and packing, the buying and selling of slaves (which doesn't actually happen in the story), church services white and black, dances popular at the time, and clothing alottments. The illustrations, many of which are in darkness, are striking, but somewhat discomforting. My favorite shows a tired Ella May watching as her father's hand adds more cotton to her nearly empty basket, to save her from being flicked by the boss's cane. The book ends on a joyful note, with the children carrying back to their parents some news about a new president.

[Emilie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a fair amount of picture books about slavery, and it seems common to have child narrators for these texts, which makes sense given the audience. However, this book was the first to explicitly display a job which was especially suited to slave children: eavesdropping. That said, I thought that it did not have the emotional oomph I was expecting, and that the characters were pretty flat, both in the text as well as in the illustrations which made a lot of black faces look similar, which might perpetuate that racial stereotype.

In addition, there were no “strong” characters in this text. While many slavery texts focus on escape, this one seemed to emphasize the helplessness of the slave, which I’m still thinking about…

It ended on a note about Abraham Lincoln, essentially pinning the slave family’s hopes for the future on his presidential term…I just don’t know.

https://emiliehanson.wordpress.com/20...

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This depicts a seldom described role of the youngest slaves. In the evenings they were sent to "play" quietly under the open windows of the parlor of the master's house, listening for news and plans that would affect their lives. They might overhear gossip or music, but they were most attuned to word of slave sales and changes in plantation supervision. Of all the hardships children suffered as slaves, this heavy responsibility served the needs of their families rather than those of the master.

[Arnetha Villery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable children and adult read. Beautiful art work.
Ella May lives on a plantation but she doesn't live in the great house. She is a slave. It's dark in the morning when Ella May heads to the fields to pick cotton. And it's sunset when she comes home. But her day isn't done, not yet. Ella May still has important work to do. She's got to listen. Each night Ella May and her friends secretly listen outside the windows of their master's house. The children listen in the hopes of gleaning information about their fates and those of their loved ones.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raved about by my school librarian, I picked the book up as a possibility for my short story Mondays. The book is beautifully illustrated and is a feast for the eyes. The story tugs at the reader's heart about children asked to listen at the window of their masters so that they can relay the information learned to their slave community. This book is a beautiful combination of artwork and plot.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

introduction to slavery for very young children

[Vivi Vieira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the comparison the author made between the story of the slaves and the story in the Bible, when Moses frees the slaves of Pharaoh of Egypt.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes you into the life of a young slave, hoping and wishing for a better tomorrow. Ella Mae and her friends work hard picking cotton all day and then listen in to their master's house at night bringing news home to their families. They experience good and bad news, but the book ends leading them to a positive new journey. This book depicts the hopeful lives of slaves and the dreams that they held. The illustrations in this book are incredibly well done, even in digital format. This book could be used to teach children about this time period in a sensitive, yet educational way.

[Shel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whelan, G. (2009). The Listeners. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.

9781585364190


Appetizer: This historical picturebook shows the experience of slavery through the eyes of children who, after a long day of labor in the cotton fields, were tasked with listening to the plantation owners.

As you can probably imagine with a picturebook about slavery, this book is very emotionally stirring. The page where the children overhear that the master is considering selling William, the narrator (Ella May's) father was what got me. But others may be struck by how the blacks and whites were separated in the church on Sunday, but they'd still sing "Amazing Grace" together. Or how slaves were cheaper to buy and keep than horses. And on. And on.

I liked how many sensory details Whelan included to capture the time and the space of the story. I also loved how accessible she made this story by showing a group of children's role in resisting and dealing with slavery. (With such an important topic, it can be very difficult to find that balance between having children refuse to consider that young people like them experienced this type of suffering and traumatizing them)

Benny's illustrations are vibrant. I was vaguely reminded of the paintings done by Kadir Nelson in Henry's Freedom Box and some of his other works. I think the reason their art seems similar is because of the amount of space the characters are given in the paintings. They often dominate the space of each page.


Dinner Conversation:

"We come home tired. We come home hungry, but Bobby, Sue and me, Ella May, got more work to do after supper. We got to listen."

"We children listen and carry back the news to our folks."

"Listening is a job for us children. We make ourselves small as cotton seeds and quiet as shadows.
The breezes puff the curtains out the open windows. Sand flies bite use and mosquitoes stick pins in us but we don't slap at them. We're here to listen."


To Go with the Meal:

The Listeners would be a good read aloud for second and third graders to help share the emotional realities of slavery--the way even children were expected to work, the fact that families were often torn apart, the fact that slaves legally could not be educated.

The strength of this book is that it shows young slaves in the powerful role of providing information to their family members. So, even though the slaves are still in the position of being the victim, they're still trying their best to maintain the best life possible under the harsh situation.

It'd be wise for a teacher to situate The Listeners within the context of history, since there is a mention of Abraham Lincoln and the approaching Civil War. In fact, as a teacher shares the events of the civil war, children can imagine a second chapter to The Listeners, researching how the children and their families may have made it to freedom.

Tasty Rating: !!!!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 Stars This is a nice book with beautiful pictures. The story is great too. I make me mad and sad to think white people thought they had the right to own black people. I know they didn't see them as full human, and in the book it says "Slaves are cheaper than horses" It makes me sick.

This type of book is one that needs to be read and talked about. How would you feel if your daddy got 'sold' to another plantation and you never got to see him again? I know my heart would break and probably never mend!! Life in African would not have been better for these people, in fact how horrible slavery is, life in Africa would be worse. I believe people who come to American whether free or slave were not brought here by accident. We should thank decedents of Slave because they are the heart of building this country. Thanks to Abraham Lincoln and other brave people who were willing to say "This isn't right" there is a chance for equality. There still is a racial divide in the the US but books like this can open our children's eyes and hopefully they will see that the wrongs of the past do not need to be repeated.

The concept of this book, The Listeners, was a new one for me. I did not know that young slaves would eavesdrop at the master house. What an information super highway those kids were.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slave children were often instructed to creep under the windows of the "Big House" and listen to what was being said by the family. This was the only way the slaves learned what was happening around them, and to them.

This is a story of those children. They listen at the big house window after evening mealtime and report back to their parents what they heard. They hear things such as a new overseer will be hired, a neighbor had asked to purchase a slave but that slave couldn't be spared. One night they hear that Abraham Lincoln has been elected and the "Master" is not happy with that at all. But when the children relay this news to their parents, the parents are overjoyed.

I have only one problem with this story. Lincoln is portrayed as thinking slavery was wrong and must end. Yes, Lincoln believed slavery was wrong. However, he did not necessarily want to end it in the South. And he was in no way an abolitionist. He supported the idea of allowing slavery to continue in the South, but not to let it spread to any new territory (see the Corwin Amendment). Lincoln would have done whatever necessary to keep the country united.

This is a common misunderstanding about Lincoln.

[Vanessa West · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Listeners is about slavery which is a very touchy subject, but the good thing is this book does not have the scary parts of slavery to where children would be disturbed. Around 8 years old would be a good age to read this historical fiction book. “The Listeners” is about a young girl named Ella May who is a child that is under slavery with her family. The book goes through her life from picking cotton all day and then trying to listen all night about what is going on with their plantation and it seems like her work never ends. The book is filled with pictures explaining the story while you read. The pictures remind me of softly water painted pictures but are very detailed at points. I would share this book with my students because it is not the full brutal side of slavery even though it still has realistic things such as picking cotton. I think the students would enjoy it because they are learning about a time long before them but at the same time can relate to some of the things that Ella May does.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed Gloria Whelan's gentle, quiet writing style. This is the first picture book of hers I've read, and it's quite nice.

At the end of every day, Ella May and her friends, Bobby and Sue, are sent to the big house on the plantation to listen beneath the windows. There they would sometimes hear news that would impact the slaves--a new slave boss, possible slave trades, a new President, and more. Ultimately, it's a story of hope.

I had never heard about this aspect of slave society, and found it interesting. I liked the author's note at the beginning, explaining this practice, as comparing authors to "listeners".

Some of the illustrations bothered me a little because the characters' heads were too big for their bodies, but others were really quite lovely (profiles, mostly, I noticed).

[Meghan Brigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Listeners tell the story of Ella May. She is a slave on a plantation in the south. She picks cotton all day and at night her and the other children gather to listen outside the masters house. It is there only connection to the world and vital information that directly effects their lives. This book is for children ages six and up. It is a realistic example of historical fiction. The illustrations are wonderfully detailed and expressive. They draw out the deep seperation between the slaves and the masters. This book left me thinking of the beauty of hope in seemingly hopeless situations.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the pictures. And love the story about slave children who listened at the master's house to find out "what was coming."


Totally unsure of what the kids would think of this one. Now that I've actually read it I will have to promote it more with students and teachers and see what happens.


One of those inbetween titles where it has more words than your average picture book. But definitely not long enough to be a "chapter" book.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Listeners is a heartbreaking look at what life was like for young children slaves. Ella May is a young slave girl, who works in the fields picking cotton during the day, but at night she is sent to listen by the windows of the slave owners house to gather any information she can about what is happening, such as who will be sold, and events of the world. This book is part of the Tales of Young America series.

[Jessica Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Listeners is a story of slave children who sit beneath their owners window at night and eavesdrop on his conversations. They do this so they can find out if anyone is going to be sold. One night they hear the there is a new president elected who is going to end slavery. The hope that Abraham Lincoln gave to slaves is inspiring. Would definitely read to an elementary school class when learning about Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, or slavery.

[Pat Marrujo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Listeners tells the story of some slave children who go and listen to their masters every night and then report back to their parents. They do this so that all the slaves can be ready for anything that could happen the coming days.

It gives kids a somewhat softer look inside of slave life in America. At the end, it talks about Lincoln getting elected and the slaves rejoice. It it a good way to introduce the emancipation proclamation to kids.

[Megan Willis]

-gentle enough for 4th graders, but still honest
-Children who were slaves were sometimes used to spy on masters and listen for news
I used this to introduce American slavery to my 4th graders. They enjoyed the illustrations, and the story prompted confusion, anger, sadness, and frustration at the injustice of slavery. We followed up by making WANTED posters for slave owners and overseers based on their crimes against humanity.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Children slaves sent to listen outside the master's windows at night so their family has a heads up about what may be coming. Writers are listeners, we are all listeners. We tell the stories we hear. Abraham Lincoln is elected and they know him as Moses sent to free their people. Fantastic book. Great teaching fodder here. I try to use "fodder" whenever possible ;)

[Gail Barge]

An interesting take on slavery, from the eyes of a young girl who "listens" for news from her masters. I would use this book when my students are studying slavery in older grades and to discuss when Lincoln became president and what many people thought would happen. A sweet story unlike any perspective on slavery I think I have ever read.

[Lauren Iuppa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to get something different out of my comfort zone and get a different book of a different culture. I was really interested in the book but I didn't quite understand the meaning behind the story or the actual message it was trying to teach. But otherwise it was a good story for a multicultural book.

[Kori Schlesener · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught my eye with the heartfelt title and the beautiful cover illustrations. After reading it, I loved it. The country's history that is found in this book of slavery is a great topic that's discussed with children and this book does a good job of doing so in a non-scary way. I loved this book and its portrayal of slavery.

[Marguarite Markley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like historical fiction picture books. When they are geared towards older aged children, I think they are very helpful in bringing history to life. This is a slavery story from the perspective of a slave child. Great read-aloud (3-5 grade)

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations remind me of Kadir Nelson, and are the reason I gave this one four stars. The text is illuminating (I had never thought of the idea of 'listeners') and a nice choice for introducing young children to the concept of slavery.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations support this story about children of slaves who learned to "listen" in order to gain access to information to protect themselves. Nice addition to any collection of books for Black History Month.

[Kim Stroberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. I struggled with how to tell my third graders about slavery (they learn more in 4th gradeA) This is a book I can really use in my classroom. Not such a feel good book, but one that should be read nonetheless.

[Rusty Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It's still dark in the morning when the boss blows on the bugle."

I have not read a picture book like this before. It was interesting to see a small part of the main characters life and how it changed.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been to the plantation they used as a model for the pictures in this book; somehow that made this more realistic to me. Beautiful pictures; good solid historical text; and not too heavy-handed.