Journey of Little Charlie, written by Christopher Paul Curtis, reviewed by Amanda Davies

Summary: Charlie feels lost. In South Carolina in 1858. His father has passed away and Charlie doesn't know what to do. His father owed money to a powerful overseer, Cap'n Buck, who wants Charlie to pay the debt by hunting down men that he claims stole from him. But Charlie soon discovers that Cap'n Buck is lying; he's actually searching for people who were enslaved and escaped. Charlie, who is White, has to decide whether to entrap the runaways or risk angering Cap'n Buck. Charlie travels North, facing difficult obstacles, none more complex than figuring out what the right thing to do is. 

Straight Talk for Librarians:  The lyric writing, dialect, and constant action of the story make it a fast-paced and engaging read. On its own, it seems strange to tell the story of the impact of enslavement on White people. Paired with Curtis' novels Elijah of Buxton and The Madman of Piney Woods (all part of the Buxton Chronicles), however, this book provides insight into the ways that enslavement impacted all aspects of society. Curtis uses the offensive term "darkie," although it is accurate for the setting.