I was ready to completely love this book until a colleague pointed out that Sojourner Truth's famouse "Ain't I Woman" speech, which is used heavily in the book, is now thought to be a very embellished version of the original. I'm a little disappointed that the authors didn't note that at the end of the book, especially since we keep this book in biographies, not fiction.

Otherwise, awesome book. ( )

A telling every bit as bold as Sojourner Truth was, and a great way to learn about the ways suffrage and abolition connected.

A mighty book about a mighty woman. ( )

In the story, Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp-Stride is another great collaboration from the duo Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney. Together they create a beautiful piece with both words and pictures. The story is about a girl born a slave. She is described, “Big. Black. Beautiful. True. That was Sojourner.” He master called her Isabella but her parents called her Belle. When she is nine, she is sold away from her family. She finally landed with Master, John Dumont who promised her freedom if worked “extra” hard. But he knew her valuable and refused to free her. This young girl decides to run away in search of her freedom. She came to the home of a Quaker couple, Isaac and Maria Van Wagener who were abolitionists and Isaac frees her after paying Dumont for her. Belle made her way to New York where she found work as a maid.
This is where the story kind of takes a remarkable turn, Belle soon learns that to celebrate her freedom she needs to use her voice and speak up for what is right. This is where she changes her name to Sojourner Truth and rids herself of the name Belle, last remaining remnants of her life as a slave. She might not be able to read or write but she used her powerful words and voice. For that is who she was, “Big. Black. Beautiful. True. That was Sojourner.” Sojourner preached about the unfair treatment of women and slaves wherever she went. She discovered that freedom wasn’t really an actual place but a feeling inside.
This book is beautifully crafted illustrations by the talented Brian Pinkney. Through his beautiful watercolors and ink paintings he brings to the surface the strength and power behind Sojourner Truth’s power, strength, and determination and truth. Through Andrea Davis Pinkney’s creativity through her words you can hear and see Sojourner’s steps, her stomps and her strides.

This book is about the life of Isabella “Belle”. She very strong and her Master promised her freedom if she worked hard. Unfortunately, he didn’t and she was freed in another way. Belle wanted others to be free just like her. She changed her name to Sojourner Truth and helped to free a plethora of people. She spoke and traveled around to free people using her step, stomp, and stride. ( )