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— From Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n Jules:<\/strong><\/font> Happy first-Sunday-of-the-month to one and all. First Sundays here at 7-Imp means a student illustrator or artist otherwise new to the field of children’s lit will get the spotlight. This morning we have illustrator, designer, and art instructor (inspiring children, thank goodness, to “think conceptually as well as independently”) Duane Smith<\/strong><\/a>, who studied at Pratt Insitute<\/strong><\/a> and currently lives in Brooklyn. This morning, I’ve got some of his art work from Janet Halfmann’s Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story<\/a><\/em><\/strong>, published by Lee & Low Books last year. Janet is also here this morning to say a bit about the book. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n And, well, the opening image here gives you more than a hint as to whether or not Robert succeeds, but I’d still recommend you read this biography for yourselves. The moment after which Smalls tells his wife of his plan and before their moment of victory is well-paced and full of almost nail-biting tension. And Duane’s art work caught my eye. As you can see, his thick brush strokes are highly impressionistic, and I love what Kirkus<\/em> wrote in their starred review of the title: “Smith, a newcomer to picture books, sketches out scenes and characters with broad daubs of oil, creating a sculptural effect that heightens the monumental nature of Smalls’s deed.”<\/em> Yes, sculpture-esque. Very much so. I quite like it. <\/p>\n “It seems to me that some people have so many books written about them, but the achievements of others are all but forgotten,”<\/em><\/font> Janet told me. “This seems especially true for minorities…At first, I found just a few lines about {Smalls}, but as I dug deeper, I became more and more amazed at what he had accomplished. When I found out how he had stolen a Confederate gunboat and ran it past several forts in Charleston Harbor, I knew that this was a great adventure story that kids would love. And at the same time, they would learn about an important African American hero who spent his entire life trying to improve the lives of all people…”<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n Duane, having never heard the story of Smalls until he was presented with Janet’s text, found it to be “a great story about courage and bravery…His story is like no other heroic African-American…humble but powerful.”<\/em><\/font> The book’s afterword sketches out even more details of Robert’s life, noting that in 1875 he was elected to the United States Congress, calling during his five terms for an end to race discrimination in the army and introducing a petition to give women the right to vote. <\/p>\n Janet—who didn’t see the art until the book was almost ready to go to press—added, “I think Duane\u2019s artwork complements the story exceptionally well. Whenever I do events, people comment on the beautiful artwork.”<\/em><\/font> <\/p>\n “It’s a great story, and I hope you enjoy it and the paintings,”<\/em><\/font> added Duane. His web site is here<\/strong><\/a>. You can see more of his art there, and I think that this page<\/strong><\/a>, highlighting some of his “public space” work, is probably my favorite. <\/p>\n As for Janet—the author of more than thirty books for children, including many nonfiction and natural science titles—her ninth book for Soundprints, Little Black Ant at Park Street<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, is coming out this summer. Good Night, Little Sea Otter<\/em> will appear in 2010 from Star Bright Books. And Sylvan Dell Publishing, the publisher of Janet’s Little Skink\u2019s Tail<\/strong><\/a><\/em> (which fascinates my children), recently bought another of her manuscripts. “I also have a picture book titled <\/em>Bewitching the Chickadees,”<\/em><\/font> Janet said, “that my daughter is illustrating, which will be out in about a year from Orchard House Press. My daughter and I are both really excited about the possibility of doing book events together!”<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n Thanks to Duane and Janet for stopping by! Want more info? Here’s a lovely review at Andromeda’s a wrung sponge<\/em><\/strong><\/a>; a 2008 interview with Duane<\/strong><\/a> at The Brown Bookshelf<\/em>; Janet in 2008<\/strong><\/a> at Susan’s Chicken Spaghetti<\/em>; Fuse’s 2008 review<\/strong><\/a>; and another review<\/strong><\/a> at Charlotte’s Library<\/em> and The Well-Read Child<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. <\/p>\n {SEVEN MILES TO FREEDOM: THE ROBERT SMALLS STORY \u00a9 2008 by Janet Halfmann. Illustrations \u00a9 2008 by Duane Smith. Published by Lee & Low Books. New York, NY. Posted with permission of publisher. All rights reserved.<\/em>}<\/p>\n As a reminder, our 7 Kicks posts are our weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. So, let’s kick it up. Absolutely anyone is welcome to list kicks — even if, or especially<\/em> if, you’ve never done so before.<\/p>\n 2). Both my girls are attending a Parents’ Day Out program for just two days a week for a bit this summer, and for the first time since I became a mother, I’ve got two days of the week in which I am ALONE. I miss them a whole stinkin’ lot, but it’s nice to get work done without interruptions, too. <\/p>\n 3). My nephew turned thirteen, I got to help him celebrate his birthday while he was in town, and I gave him a mixed CD I put a whole lot of care and research into. I figured a 13-year-old boy needs some essential rock and punk (both classic and contemporary), so he’s now got some Ramones, The Clash, Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, White Stripes, Black Keys, Pixies, Modest Mouse, Tom Waits, Dylan, and more. And I hope and hope beyond all hope that the CD doesn’t end up in the trash, but he seemed to like it. <\/p>\n 4). A picnic and movie in the park with our girls. With popcorn. Of course. <\/p>\n 5). I’m sorry for this very scatalogical kick—I swore I wouldn’t type this—but it’s really and truly kick #1 for me, honestly: Our youngest is FINALLY out of diapers. Sweet heavenly hosts, I thought she’d never do it. I very much do not<\/em> miss the butt sacks. <\/p>\n 6). When Jimmy Fallon and The Roots slow jam the news. Here’s one from March: <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/robertsmalls.jpg\")
Janet’s picture book biography tells the story of Robert Smalls<\/strong><\/a>, who grew up in the mid-1800s a slave in South Carolina, always dreaming of freedom. Getting permission from his master to work at the docks, Robert loaded and unloaded cargo from ships, becoming foreman of a crew by age fifteen. After that, he began working in the shipyard and—after meeting and marrying Hannah Jones and becoming a father to their first child and after the launch of the Civil War—Robert began working as a deckhand on a wood-burning steamer, named the Planter<\/em>, and was then promoted to wheelman. As the person responsible for steering the boat, he learned the secret steam whistle signals for passing Charleston Harbor’s forts. After joking around and pretending to be the boat’s captain one night, Robert was struck with an idea: That he and his crew would steal the Planter<\/em> on a night when the officers were ashore, while he wore the captain’s hat and responded with the secret boat signals. He would, essentially, trick the fort guards into letting the ship pass. To the Union fleet. To freedom. <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/Seven_Miles_11.jpg\")
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1). Our lilies and roses have bloomed. <\/p>\n