Major Theme:

The theme of this picturebook is survival; the courage to succeed and overcome great odds.

Summary:

Clara, a slave and seamstress on Home Plantation, knows that the Underground Railroad can lead her to freedom.  The only problem is, How to find it?  By piecing together scraps of cloth with scraps of information gathered from the other slaves, she fashions a map so secret that even the master won't suspect. . .

Question #1

Question #2

Question #3

What was Sweet Clara's dream?
 

Why did Aunt Rachel teach Sweet Clara to sew?

What's the qualities that make a real "seamstress"?

Question #4

What did you learn about plantation life from reading this book?
 

Question #5

Cook said, ". . . more would run away if it was easy".  What were some obstacles that prevented more slaves from running away?

Question #6

Question #7

Question #8

Question #9

How did Sweet Clara gather the information to put in the map-quilt?

Why did Aunt Rachel ask to be covered with Sweet Clara's quilt?

What qualities make Sweet Clara a hero?

What qualities did you admire in Aunt Rachel?

Question #10

Why would runaway slaves be free once they reached Canada?

Question #11

Question #12

Question #13

Question #14

Question #15

Question #16

Question #17

Question #18

Extension #1

Extension #2

Extension #3

Research the Underground Railroad.  Prepare a bibliography, listing 10 sources for the Underground Railroad.

Draw a map to your house?

Draw a wanted poster for Sweet Clara and Young Jack?

Extension #4

Write a message that Sweet Clara's mother might have smuggled to her daughter when another slave was sold to Home Plantation.

Extension #5

Research quilts.  Make a drawing of 3 of the following quilt designs:
     nine piece quilt
     colonial star
     tumbling block
     fan
     crazy quilt
     double wedding ring
     lone star
     log cabin
     dahlia
     Dresden plate
     turkey tracks
     grandmother's flower garden