Teacher's Toolbox

Underground Railroad Books for Young Readers

The bravery and creativity of people involved in the Underground Railroad—both those escaping slavery and those who helped them—are fascinating topics. Many authors have written fictional and non-fictional books about freedom seekers for K-12 students. The following lists provide summaries of several of these books. Parents and teachers can review these books to see what students will learn before recommending them. There are many more books available; these lists are just a starting point. Click on the category for your audience to begin exploring history!

Elementary Grades Booklist (Download PDF)
Middle School Historical Fiction Booklist (Download PDF)
Middle School Non-Fiction Booklist (Download PDF)

To order any of these books, please contact Loganberry Books, Appletree Books, or Mac's Backs.

Synthesis Essay Writing and Underground Railroad Assignment Topics and Sources

Teachers can use these materials to build on students' writing skills, enhance their research ability, and introduce them to documentation. The combination of material from several sources encourages them to understand and synthesize information into a coherent narrative.

Topics are appropriate for both history and ELA classes. Included are materials for teachers and students, detailed assignment sheets for each topic, templates to use for taking notes, and rubrics to use for grading.

Synthesis Essay Materials for Teachers (Download PDF)
Synthesis Essay Materials for Students (Download PDF)
Underground Railroad Assignment Topics (Download PDF)
Cornell Notes Template for Print Sources (Download PDF)
Cornell Notes Template for Websites (Download PDF)