This is a beautiful book that offers amazing illustrations and provides readers with information about the Underground Railroad in a historical fiction account. This is a nice addition to a collection of books that students could use as an entry into a unit on Slavery in the US and specifically the Underground Railroad.

Blacksmith’s Song is a doleful rendering in beautiful art of the Underground Railroad, suggesting one way of many that messages were passed along. Our young narrator wants to tap out the blacksmith's song, to help travellers as his father does. Each day he asks, but is told 'not yet’. Each day his father looks sicker and sicker. Our narrator wonders when it will be his family's time to leave too. One day, Pa is unable to play the travelling song, so the young son takes up a hammer and taps it out for those waiting in the woods. Later that night, he and his parents finally leave themselves.

This is a sad tale, mournful for its topic of slavery. It brought tears to my eyes, and to the most empathic of my cubs. It prompted much discussion between all of us. The author's notes at the end gave more information about the Underground Railroad, and other ways it is speculated messages were passed along, though we really have little true idea. This is a great book to supplement teaching about the Underground Railroad.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Myrick Marketing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an amazing picture book about an aspect of slavery and the Underground Railroad that is rarely seen in children's books. Childrena ndadults will appreciate learning about the role of the blacksmith and other ancillary players in the fight for freedom. The illustrations leap off the page and pair well with the text. This book is a great tool for teaching and a great read for kids. I will definitely recommend as a first purchase.

Blacksmith's Song is a good addition to other Underground Railroad picture books. Readers can feel the tension in the young black boy who is the protagonist of this story, as well as the fear he has of the white slavemasters. Rich's illustrations are full of life and detail and will engage viewers. Readers, however, will likely need to be familiar with this historical time period in order to understand the context of this book. A good additional purchase.

'Blacksmith's Song' by Elizabeth Van Steenwyck is a children's picture book about the Underground Railroad, more specifically, a possible way that slaves and others communicated with runaways along the route. As the author states at the end of the book, we are not sure how people on the Underground Railroad were communicated with. It could have been a specific rhythm played out along the trail such as a song, dance, or by a blacksmith working late into the night.

IN this story, a young boy goes to watch his father working in the forge. His father sometimes hammers a certain rhythm in the night. The boy wants to try, but his father says no. His mother finally explains about the song his father plays. It's a secret and dangerous song that could cost someone their life if the owners figure it out. The boy picks up the song from listening and he knows as his father grows weaker, that he will one day play the song and his family will eventually get their turn to run for freedom.

The story does not show the ugly side of slavery, but it gets the point across that these people are not free and wish to be. Using the illustrations by Anna Rich you can see the owners sitting and having a feast, as well as the men on horseback with their dogs out looking for escaped slaves. Depending on the age of the person reading or listening to the story, different discussions can occur regarding this time period and practice.

Tap, Tap, Tap, went Pa’s hammer as he worked in the blacksmith’s shop. He worked on garden gates, horseshoes, and ornaments. He wielded the hammer against the mighty anvil. But the hammer not only created tools, it also created a message, a code to enslaved people seeking freedom on the Underground Railroad.

The Blacksmith’s Song is a brief, yet powerful introduction to our youngest readers about the Underground Railroad and how creativity, ingenuity and, ultimately, courage helped slaves escape their captors. The illustrations capture expressions of fear, concern, mistrust, and resilience. The author’s note discusses the Underground Railroad timeline and thoughts on how messages were passed to the “travelers.”

'Blacksmith's Song' by Elizabeth Van Steenwyck with illustrations by Anna Rich is a fictional picture book about the Underground Railroad. It tells of one method that might have been used to mark the pathway as straight.

A young boy goes to watch his father hammer in the forge. His father sometimes plays a certain song out in the rhythm of his hammering. It's a secret and dangerous song. The boy knows the song. He also knows that one day it will sound for him and his father and mother, and it will be there turn to find freedom in the night.

The story gets it's point across with words and pictures without exposing children to the horrors of slavery. There is definitely an "us" and "them' to the story and art which still shows how wrong this kind of system was. While it is not known how people on the Underground Railroad were communicated with, it certainly could have been a certain rhythm played out along the trail. Perhaps by a blacksmith working late into the night.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Peachtree Publishers, Myrick Marketing Media, LLC, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

Amazing. Simply Amazing. This is the story of Pa and his son. They wait to hear and send the Blacksmith’s song to guide travelers along the Underground railroad. While the author notes that this is not a true story, me states that many things were used to guide people: songs, quilts, art, etc. Why not the song of a blacksmith. This is a powerful picture book. It emotes hope, and fear, and impatient waiting. A perfect book to start children on a love of history.

Picture book that speculates that people on the Underground Railroad received messages through rhythms created by blacksmiths.

I loved the illustrations and learned a lot from the story. It’s definitely well done!

Speculative fiction at best. Not a bad tale though. That was very innovative and imaginative of the author to use a blacksmith as a message bearer for the underground railroad. Unique, but fitting with talking drums and such. Good story well told. Actually more enjoyable then some speculative fiction of the underground railroad. More plausible, in my opinion. Can't really comment on the illustrations, sorry. I have a Kindle ans they don't always come out very well.. But I think it would make a nice addition to a library collection of similar works.

Even though my students are older, they still enjoyed this book, which is appropriate for young children. There are pictures with every page, helping to illustrate the story. It discusses an aspect of the Underground Railroad that we had not discussed, and includes blacksmithing (which they are currently very into), so it led to many good discussions.