Freedom. Some take it for granted. Others consider it worth dying for. Lowry Rankin knows all too well the cost of freedom, after all, his family's red brick home is the first stop on the Underground Railroad north of the Ohio River. He's seen friends beaten for the color of their skin. He's watched simple farmers make a difference. He's even risked how own life transporting escaped slaves to the next "station". But will Lowry be able to conquer his greatest fear when he's called to speak out?
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 stars(5 out of 5 stars)
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Donna J. Shepherd (Cincinnati, OH), July 15, 2006
Across the Wide River is a work of fiction, but based on a real family, the Rankin Family, living in a time of slavery and abolition. The story, with its rich descriptions, draws you into the struggle for freedom so much so that you feel the anquish and intense longing of those desiring freedom and those who work so valiantly to secure that goal.
Stephanie Reed introduces us to Lowry Rankin, nothing but a boy in the beginning of the book, who must face constant danger and moral dilemmas when confronted with the reality of the 'family business.' Will he become a preacher and abolitionist like his father? Or will his shyness overtake his desire to help the slaves and preach the Word of God?
This is a story of courage and compassion with even a pinch of romance, but most of all - a story that won't be forgotten. Join Lowry in his adventures, and journey Across the Wide River.
Write a review of Across The Wide River # 1
Author: Stephanie Reed
Located in: Dublin, Ohio
Submitted: August 10, 2004
Tell us a little about yourself. My husband and I have two teens. I like Ohio
history, weather (tornadoes), birdwatching,
flower gardening, and reading.
What was your motivation behind this project? Many times as a child, my family passed Rankin
House on the way to my grandparents' house in
Kentucky. I read the historical marker every
time, and I wanted to know more about the
Rankins. Then I wanted to share Lowry Rankin's
inspiring story with today's readers.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? I hope they will discover that at least one line
of the Underground Railroad was in place because
of the love of God. Lowry Rankin was a real
preacher's kid who grew up in the church and was
a born-again Christian, yet he struggled with
doing what was expected of him. What he was
asked to do must have seemed impossible at
times. We are not the only ones who have ever
felt that way.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? Laura Ingalls Wilder, Sterling North, Marguerite
Henry, and Elizabeth Enright, to name a
representative few.
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: As a young reader, I liked books about real
people. I decided to go one step further and
write about real people who knew Jesus Christ as
their Savior, because Jesus is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
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