'Before She was Harriet' - Read and Rise March 2025

Harriet Tubman definitely does not fall into the category of awesome women I'd never heard of, but the anniversary of her death was yesterday and I feel she deserves a spotlight. Tubman is most well known for being a conductor for the Underground Railroad but she was also a Union nurse, spy, and general during the civil war, founder of the Home for the Aged, and a suffragist. 

There are so many children's books available about Harriet Tubman but this one caught my eye because it tells her story backward! The watercolor illustrations are also beautiful, making her story all the more impactful.

Featured Story: Before She was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome

Activity: In the book, it mentions that when Harriet was a child, she was taught by her father to read the woods and the stars at night. This surely came in handy when navigating unfamiliar places while escaping from Maryland to Philadelphia and then while helping others find their way to freedom. 

Here are a couple great resources to help you learn how to figure out which direction is which using the sun, tree, and stars!

"How to Navigate Using Nature" from BBC Earth Kids

"A Kids' Guide to Stargazing" from the American Museum of Natural History

For more great books about inspiring women, check out: