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A. LaFaye
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Walking Home to Rosie Lee Hardcover – August 9, 2011

by A. LaFaye (Author), Keith D. Shepherd (Illustrator)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8 ratings
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Young Gabe's is a story of heartache and jubilation. He's a child slave freed after the Civil War. He sets off to reunite himself with his mother who was sold before the war's end. "Come morning, the folks take to the road again, singing songs, telling stories, and dream-talking of the lives they're gonna live in freedom. And I follow, keeping my eyes open for my mama. Days pass into weeks, and one gray evening as Mr. Dark laid down his coat, I see a woman with a yellow scarf 'round her neck as bright as a star. I run up to grab her hand, saying, Mama?" Gabe's odyssey in search of his mother has an epic American quality, and Keith Shepherd's illustrations―influenced deeply by the narrative work of Thomas Hart Benton―fervently portray the struggle in Gabe's heroic quest.

Selected as a 2012 Skipping Stones Honor Book and for the 2012 IRA Teacher's Choices Reading List.

A. LaFaye hopes Walking Home to Rosie Lee will honor all those African American families who struggled to reunite at the end of the Civil War and will pay her respects to those who banded together through the long struggle for freedom. She is the author of the Scott O'Dell Award-winning novel Worth and lives in Tennessee with her daughter Adia.

Keith Shepherd is a painter, graphic designer, and educator working out of Kansas City, MO. His painting "Sunday Best" is part of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's permanent collection. He describes his work as being "motivated by family, religion, history, and music."
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    7 - 11 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    1 - 6
  5. Lexile measure
    AD830L
  6. Dimensions
    9 x 0.3 x 11.5 inches
  7. Publisher
    Cinco Puntos Press
  8. Publication date
    August 9, 2011
  9. ISBN-10
    1933693975
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1933693972
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A. LaFaye hopes Walking Home to Rosie Lee will honor all those African‐American families who struggled to reunite at the end of the Civil War and will pay her respects to those who banded together through the long struggle for freedom. She is the author of the Scott O’Dell Award winning novel Worth and lives in Tennessee with her daughter.

Keith D. Shepherd is a painter, graphic designer and educator working out of Kansas City, Missouri. His painting “Sunday Best” is part of the Negro League Baseball Museum’s permanent collection. He describes his work as being “motivated by family, religion, history and music.”

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cinco Puntos Press; Illustrated edition (August 9, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1933693975
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1933693972
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 11 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD830L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 1 - 6
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.3 x 11.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

About the author

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A. LaFaye

A. LaFaye

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

when I started elementary in a small town in central Wisconsin, I discovered that I had a serious problem--I was a complete and total geek! I showed up at school with my clothes on backwards (not to start a new fashion trend, I just didn't pay a lot of attention when I was getting dressed); I talked to myself (why not, no one else would); and I was constantly making up stories.

By the time I was 8, most of the kids in school hated me. They called me names, threw things at me, and generally made my life miserable. I want to do something to make them want to get to know the real me, becuase I felt sure that they'd like me if they really got to know me.

My big plan back then was to break a World Record in the Guiness Book of World Records, then I'd become famous and everyone would want to get to know me. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a record I could break. Then I found Dorothy Straight who published a novel when she was six. I thought, "If a six year old can do it, then so can I." That's what started me on the road to becoming an author.

Since then, I've become an author and a writing teacher. I've published over a dozen books including WORTH which won the 2005 Scott O'Dell Award and I have more on the way.

More importantly, I've realized that it's wonderful to embrace your inner geek, believe in the person God made you to be, and use the gifts God gave you to try and make the world a better place. I hope my books do that.

Happy Reading!

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
8 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

MICHELLE FAIN
5.0 out of 5 stars Mom's Memory
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
The reason I bought the book was because my mom's name is Rosie Lee and she passed away in December. This book is a reminder of here.
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scostner1
4.0 out of 5 stars Child's Eye View of Emancipation/Reconstruction
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2015
I haven't encountered many picture books that deal with the aftermath of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, especially something told from a child's point of view. Walking Home to Rosie Lee helps to fill that gap. The narrator, Gabe, tells of his search to find his mother and be reunited with her. He explains that he hasn't seen her since "Master Turner sold her away," but he still remembers how she smelled like jasmine. While others talks about their plans for their futures, he is tracking down rumors of women named Rosie, only to be disappointed again and again. Will he ever find the right Rosie Lee?

As the author's note explains, some of those who searched for family members after the war only found them after months or even years of searching, and others never were found at all. This book just tells what one such search might have been like. It shows some of the situations that may have occurred, such as being snarled at by the cook at the Carter's place, or hearing dogs barking and climbing into a tree for fear of being attacked by them. But it also shows some of the kindness - hugs and meals from strangers, or the offer of a place to spend the night. It strikes a balance to get across the difficulty of the search, but without making it too frightening or dismal for young readers.

The repetitive phrase, "singing songs, telling stories and dream-talking of the lives they're gonna live," adds to the feeling of the search being endless, going through the same motions over and over. The dialect is noticeable without being overly exaggerated or too difficult to understand. Other details of the era such as the Freedman's Bureau or schools for African Americans popping up are worked into the narrative as things that Gabe encounters during his search, while the place names show how far he roamed - Mobile, Chattanooga, Jasper, and Cleveland.

This would make a good addition to any Civil War/Reconstruction unit in elementary school. It could be used as a read-aloud to introduce a lesson or serve as a mentor text for students writing their own historical fiction pieces from what they have learned during the unit. Classes from East Tennessee would be especially interested due to the locations mentioned towards the end of Gabe's search. They could plot some of his journey on a map and see how close he came to their hometowns. However it is used - either in direct instruction or for self-selected reading, it will be a good addition to the classroom or library resources already on hand.

The author provided a (PDF) copy of the book so that I could read and review it.
2 people found this helpful
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Janet Hamilton
4.0 out of 5 stars A story of Reconstruction
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2015
Summary: The Civil War is over, and Gabe wants to find his mama. She was sold by his master when Gabe was so young that all he can remember of her is her smell of jasmine, her good cooking, and the scarf she wore to cover up a scar she received as a punishment for trying to escape. For the first time in his life, Gabe is free to travel away from the plantation where he was a slave, and he sets off to find Mama. For months, he travels through the south, meeting other newly-freed slaves, following leads, and enduring crushing disappointments. One day, he sees a woman setting pies on the windowsill of a hotel, her long scarf trailing behind her. That night, he sleeps snuggled against his mama, hoping other boys will be as fortunate as he has been. Ages 8-12.

Pros: Told in Gabe’s distinctive voice (“Had me thinner than a leaf with the sorrow of it”), this story fills a gap in historical fiction picture books with its narrative about Reconstruction. The author’s note tells how Gabe’s story is representative of many newly freed slaves who sought to reunite with loved ones.

Cons: The history of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation aren’t told here, so kids will need some background to understand Gabe’s story.
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Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written text based on true incidents
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2011
"War's over. Government say we free. Folks be on the move. Getting the feel for freedom. Not me. I'm looking for my mama, Rosie Lee."

The war is over and Gabe is off to find his mother. Her slave owner sold her and now Gabe is going to find her, even if it takes months.

A beautifully written story based on true, little-known incidents that took place after the Civil War.
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