Up the Learning Tree Book

Henry Bell is a slave boy on the Grismore plantation and walks his young master to and from school every day. Curious about the learning that is denied to slaves, Henry returns to the school after his chores and scoots up a nearby sycamore tree. He listens to the teacher Miss Hattie reading and decides he is going to learn how to read.Every day he returns to the sycamore to listen to Miss Hattie s lessons. Henry finds a torn book in the trash, and as he tries to hide it under his shirt, Miss Hattie confronts him. Seeing his determination to read, however, she begins giving him lessons in secret, in spite of the danger to both them.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Henry Bell walks young Master Simon to and from school every day. Education is forbidden to the Grismore slaves, but Henry seizes the opportunity to learn what he can anyway. He finishes his work early and rushes back to the schoolhouse, where he climbs a sycamore tree and eavesdrops on the lessons. The other children write their work on slates, but Henry uses the branches of his tree instead, carving letters and words into the bark. Simon's teacher notices Henry's efforts and risks everything to help him study, eventually losing her job and getting run out of town. But by then, Henry knows enough to continue his education on his own. Vaughan's text relates the child's bold, determined struggle to learn in spare but descriptive language. Blanks's dense, deep oil paintings subtly juxtapose the lush, green grass around the schoolhouse and in the leaves of Henry's tree against the hard, red clay around the Grismore plantation. This inspiring collaboration makes a solid contribution to most collections.-Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.