*thank you to Vanita Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

5 stars.
Wow! Just... wow! This was amazing!! It was sooo good! I had not known about Portman Porters but I am so very glad that I have now been introducted to who they were and what they have done. The artwork, my god the artwork is so beautiful!! This book is definitely a keeper to be treasured. The book tells us who the Portman Porters are and the history. The book is written in an easy to read way making it great for kids but also still appealing to adults. If you or your child is interested in trains, history or simply looking for a good (educational) book with breathtaking illustrations, then this is a must read. Im adding this to my list of books I need to buy, its just that good!

Author Vanita Oelschlager and artist Mike Blanc teamed up to create a beautifully illustrated and written book for young readers about the Pullman Porters of railroad's heyday.
The work was often grueling and poorly paid, but it was considered a prestigious job for African Americans (many of whom, in the early days, were ex-slaves). The book is short, 44 pages, but each is beautifully illustrated and the text is accessible and well written.

I can imagine this being a useful book in a classroom setting, as a part of a unit on post Civil War America, as a background book for a unit on ethnic diversity and roles in America, or as a study unit on railroads/travel.

I remember when I was a child, traveling from Pittsburgh to Boston and Cape Cod every summer. We traveled by train, and even in the 60s and early 70s it was a wonderful adventure.

This book does not sugar-coat or play down the degrading and often dangerous work which was required of the porters. They were expected to purchase and maintain their uniforms and even to buy the shoe-polish they used.

Well researched and factual, I learned a lot about the history of the Pullman porters and the afterword even lists some of the more famous of their descendants.

The Pullman Porter by Vanita Oelschlager. Vanita Books. Illustrated by Mike Blanc. Children’s Nonfiction, History. 5+++ Stars. First of all, gorgeous art; this book is full of handsome people, the insides of the sleeper cars and lush scenery illustrated with vibrant colors. George Pullman and his creation of comfortable seating, sleeping and dining cars for the wealthy was just the beginning. The Pullman porters, under the leadership of A. Philip Randolph, are credited with starting the Civil Rights Movement and leading African Americans out of slavery. Interesting and important history for both the young and old to know. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and VanitaBooks for providing this ebook for review.

What initially caught my eye was the amazing artwork in this book. This little book should be in every school library as it teaches important facts about the civil rights movement which, surprisingly began with men who were Pullman porters. Very interesting!

This book has beautiful illustrations and addresses an important part of American history that is not given enough attention. The information is presented in an interesting and meaningful way that will keep children entertained and will also educate adults.

No way... The name Pullman Porter came from an actual guy, George Pullman, who built the first railroad sleeper/dining cars and had the first railroad porters... I learned something right on the first page! Before this I'd only ever heard the words "pullman porter" from the song Shuffle off to Buffalo from 42nd Street! And those first porters were ex-slaves in need of new work after the Civil War.

I loved reading this, and the illustrations were also just divine!

This book serves as a tribute to the now forgotten Pullman Porters who played a vital role in turning the lives of many black Americans post Civil War and helped them earn their basic rights as Americans and humans, when they started the Civil Rights Movement. Personally, I've never heard of them, so this book with exquisite illustrations was not only a treat to read but an educational experience which increased my knowledge on a subject so important.

It captures every piece of information in a succinct manner and the wonderful illustration serve as an additional bonus, definitely pick this one if you're looking for a short history lesson in the least boring way!

I highly recommend The Pullman Porter for preschoolers and elementary aged children. It outlines the history of the Pullman Porter including the services they performed and stark conditions of the job. It then nicely transitions to the Pullman Porter's role in the civil rights movement. The illustrations are inspiring and augment the history beautifully.

In the story of U.S. civil rights the Pullman porters - the black men who served white customers in the Pullman carriages on the railroads - played an important role for both African American and for trade union rights.

The Pullman Company was a major employer of African Americans in the early part of the twentieth century and appeared attractive in terms of remuneration and lifestyle compared with most of the alternatives. In fact, the porters relied on tips for much of their income and were thus obliged to be obsequious to condescending white passengers who would routinely refer to them as ‘George’ after the Pullman Company’s founder.

A host of petty regulations further demeaned them and depressed their living conditions. Approximately ten per cent of their time, for example, was spent in unpaid setting-up and cleaning-up duties at the beginning and end of each train journey. Up to half of their wages could be consumed by the cost of paying for their own food, lodging and uniforms, whilst they had to reimburse the company if one of their passengers stole a towel or water pitcher. To make matters even worse there was no prospect of promotion, as the position of conductor, the next rung up the ladder, was exclusively reserved for whites.

It should come as no surprise therefore that these conditions produced a seething discontent which in racial terms was compounded by porters observing, in the course of their travels, that a more tolerant, or at least less overtly racist, society operated in the North.

Hence the porters strove to improve their conditions by unionizing, and after years of struggle the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Maids, under A. Philip Randolph, was finally recognized by the Pullman Company in 1935 and in 1937 signed its first collective bargaining agreement with the company. This was a landmark in trade union, and specifically African American trade union, rights in the United States. Moreover, many current or former Pullman porters, most notably E. D. Nixon and Malcolm X, played an important role in advancing African American civil rights more generally.

In Vanita Oelschlager’s children’s book ‘The Pullman Porter’ this story is told with grace, economy and beautiful illustrations, by Mike Blanc. It mistakenly states that Martin Luther King began his 1963 March on Washington speech with the words “I have a dream, that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” In fact, these words appear closer to the end than to the beginning of the speech. The book is also incorrect in describing Thurgood Marshall as having been a Pullman porter, although he was briefly employed as a dining car waiter by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

These errors do not, however, detract too seriously from ‘The Pullman Porter’ being both an educational and entertaining read.

An excellent homage to some courageous men who started something massive for Black Americans in the United States. Vanita continues to impress.

I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley.com to review. I enjoyed this book. It is a child's level book, but I learned more from this book than I had ever known. This is a long-forgotten piece of history, but I don't think it should have been forgotten. I plan on reading this to my boys, ages 7 and 12, respectively. The illustrations in this book are wonderfully done, as well. I'd even go so far as to say that they could be framed and hung on the wall as art.

The Pullman Porter – An American Journey is a very instructive children’s book about the unexpected role of Pullman Porters in the American history. Not only did they help millions of American explore the vast continent, but they also contributed to kickstart the Civil Rights Movements later led by Martin Luther King Jr.

This beautifully illustrated children’s book describes how ex-slaves managed to grow and offer a better future to their families thanks to this job that took them to many parts of the country and that also allowed them to be in contact with the upper class. They learned a lot from what they saw and heard, which led them to value education for their own children. That’s why the book teaches us that many former Pullman Porters have descendants who became doctors, lawyers or even actors!

It was a great idea to put together this children’s book and focus on these men who had a tough job despite their sleek appearance. It’s a great way to inform children and adults about this specific part of American history that deserves to be in the spotlight.

I was sorry to see that this title is not downloadable to Kindle. This should be given in the information section.

"The Pullman Porter" traces the history of the railway sleeping car, invented by George Pullman in 1857, and the creation of the Pullman Porter, a job necessitated by its inception. Although rail travel across the country existed in the 1830's, the journey was uncomfortable, noisy and dirty. Pullman's idea was to provide fine meals and beds with mattresses for his wealthy clientele. Hiring freed slaves as porters was cost effective. Although Pullman Porters were highly respected by their home communities, the job was far from glamorous. They were poorly paid making most of their money from tips earned shining shoes and babysitting children. Would you believe that they had to pay out-of-pocket for the shoe polish they used to shine passenger's shoes?

Author Vanita Oelschlager explains how Pullman Porters arguably helped start the Civil Rights Movement. Constantly catering to the needs of the rail passengers, they had access to newspapers left behind. They listened and learned. Many amazing facts can be gleaned from this book. Did you know that Whoopi Goldberg's grandfather was a Pullman Porter?

"The Pullman Porter" by Vanita Oelschlager and illustrated by Mike Blanc recreates a time in history before the advent of major air travel. A very enjoyable read for both children and adults.

Thank you Vanita Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Pullman Porter".