Up the Learning Tree

By Marcia Vaughan Crews, Derek Blanks
Paperback: $11.95

Henry Bell is not allowed to learn to read and write. In fact, most enslaved children, like him, are severely punished if they are even caught with a book.

Description

Henry Bell is not allowed to learn to read and write. In fact, most enslaved children, like him, are severely punished if they are even caught with a book. But Henry is curious. He suspects there is something powerful in books, and he wants to know what it is.

One day Henry finishes his chores quickly, then runs to the schoolhouse. He hides in a sycamore tree just as the teacher begins reading a story. His heart pounds as he listens with astonishment, and right then he makes up his mind to learn to read. Henry’s fierce determination and bravery in the face of serious consequences lead him to a special friendship, and a journey of discovery that changes his life forever.

Set in the pre-Civil War South, Up the Learning Tree is a story of hope and humanity during difficult times, and a poignant reminder that the freedom to learn should never be taken for granted.

Marcia Vaughan was inspired to write Up the Learning Tree after reading Civil War-era oral histories of former enslaved people, many of whom risked their lives to learn to read and write.

About the Creators

Marcia Vaughan Crews

Marcia Vaughan Crews has written numerous books for young readers, including picture books, beginning readers, and both fiction and nonfiction series. She was inspired to tell Irena Sendler’s story after reading her obituary in 2008 and discovering more about her through the work of Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project, an organization dedicated to bringing Irena Sendler’s story to the world. Crews lives in Tacoma, Washington.

Derek Blanks

Derek Blanks received his B.F.A. degree from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. He has served as a painter and freelance illustrator for galleries, museums, and art publications, and he currently works as a graphic artist and photographer who has done campaigns and cover shoots for CoverGirl, ESSENCE, BET Networks, and Sony Music Entertainment, among others. To find out more about Derek Blanks, visit dblanks.com.

Awards

  • Best Children's Books of the Year

    Bank Street College of Education

  • South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominee

    South Carolina Association of School Librarians

Reviews

  • "The focus on one brave child will bring listeners close to the cruel historical facts and the message about the power of literacy."

    - Booklist
  • "Up the Learning Tree is a very thoughtful story for young readers ages 4 to 8 with powerful underlying messages about history and personal drive."

    - Midwest Book Review
  • "This inspiring collaboration makes a solid contribution to most collections."

    - School Library Journal

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781600604454
  • Publication Date May 01, 2002
  • Trim Size 10.5 × 8 in
  • Weight 0.3125 lbs
  • Page Count 32
  • Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781584300496
  • Publication Date Apr 01, 2013
  • Trim Size N/A
  • Weight 0.875 lbs
  • Page Count 28
  • Interests

  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JUV / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism
  • BISAC Category 2 JUV / Books & Libraries
  • BISAC Category 3 JUV / Historical / United States / 19th Century
  • Themes African / African American / Black, Bullying, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Discrimination, Dreams & Aspirations, Education, Empathy / Compassion, Fiction, Friendship, Heroism, History & Civics, Identity / Self Esteem / Confidence, Integrity / Honesty, Leadership, Mentors, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence / Grit, Poverty, Pride, Respect / Citizenship, Responsibility, Self Control / Self Regulation, Sharing & Giving, Slavery, United States History
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 6 - 9
  • Grade Range Grades 1 - 4
  • Guided Reading R
  • ATOS Book Level 3.4
  • DRA 40
  • Interest Level Grades 1 - 4
  • Lexile Code AD
  • Lexile Level 660
  • Reading Level Grades 2 - 3
  • SRC 4.2
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
  • This Book is Included in These Collections:

    • 61
      English Fiction Grades PreK-2
      Collection of 61 books: $732.95

      First Day in Grapes

      The powerful story of a migrant boy who grows in self-confidence when he uses his math prowess to stand up to the school bullies.

      A Toucan Can Can You?

      Fans of How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck? rejoice! Here's an all new volume of tongue-twisting compound words, guaranteed to tickle your fancy! You'll laugh! You'll cry! Well...OK, maybe not, but you'll have lots of fun reading this book, poring through illustrations by thirteen different artists (including two fresh, new faces to the children's book scene!), and listening to an all new audio rendition of this new collection. So how much time will you spend reading, looking at, and listening to this book? As much time as you can! And if you're still dizzy from the first array of compound words and inverse descriptives...well, fasten your seat belts-the ride begins anew!

      The Happiest Tree

      Meena is excited about the class play, a new and improved version of Red Riding Hood.

      Bringing Asha Home

      A biracial Asian Indian American boy finds his own special way to bond with his sister while the family awaits her adoption from India.

      A House by the River

      A young girl learns her rickety, old house by the river is stronger than the fiercest storm because it is fortified by love and family.

      Abuela's Weave

      This touching story of personal growth and family pride is illustrated with authentic Guatemalan scenery that gives life to the country's radiant landscape and bustling city streets.

      Amelia's Road

      A girl from a migrant worker family overcomes the hardship of moving by creating a special place for herself.

      Estela's Swap

      A Mexican American girl learns to value the act of giving when she attends her first swap meet.

      Destiny's Gift

      Destiny loves words, and her favorite place in the world is Mrs. Wade's bookstore, where words abound.

      Goldfish and Chrysanthemums

      A Chinese American girl helps preserve her grandmother's childhood memories of China by creating a special garden for her in America.

      Grandfather Counts

      In this contemporary intergenerational story, a biracial girl and her Chinese grandfather overcome language differences and develop a special bond.

      The Have a Good Day Café

      Early each morning Mike and his family drive to the city with their food cart.

      Willie Wins

      In this heart-warming story, a boy gets beyond peer pressure and comes to appreciate the depth of his father's love. First-time author Almira Astudillo Gilles teams up with artist Carl Angel to create an inspiring and suspenseful story. Young readers will be cheering for Willie all the way.

      Raymond's Perfect Present

      When he tries to surprise his sick mother with flowers that he grew, a Chinese American boy receives a nice surprise of his own.

      Joshua's Masai Mask

      A magical Masai mask takes an African American boy on a series of adventures, and he discovers the joy of being himself.

      King for a Day

      Malik, a Pakistani boy who uses a wheelchair, is excited to compete in the annual kite-flying festival of Basant. Can his kite defeat the bully's and make him "King" of the festival?

      Oh No, Domino!

      The story of a boy attempting to play fetch with his dog, who brings back assorted round objects when the ball is lost.

      Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji

      Overflowing with family, food, and a tall stack of fun, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji is sure to warm the heart and tickle the tummy. A fun way for children to learn about the cultural traditions and foods of India to be enjoyed by the whole family.

      Ghosts for Breakfast

      When the Troublesome Triplets complain that they have seen ghosts in Farmer Tanaka's field, Papa sets off with his son to hunt the ghosts in this fun story set in 1920s California.

      The Can Man

      To earn money, a young boy decides to collect and redeem empty soft drink cans, but ends up giving away his money to help a local homeless man.

      Juna's Jar

      After Juna's best friend moves away, Juna, an imaginative Korean American girl, goes on magical adventures by way of her special kimchi jar.

      The Hula-Hoopin' Queen

      A spunky African American girl has a hula-hooping competition with her friends in Harlem, and soon everyone in the neighborhood--young and old alike--joins in on the fun.

      Drummer Boy of John John

      The perfect book for aspiring young drummers, where a young boy in Trinidad discovers he can create tunes on discarded metal tins, and goes on to win the Carnival band competition.

      Benji, the Bad Day, and Me

      Sammy is having the absolute rottenest, worst day ever. His little brother, Benji, knows exactly what that's like.

      A Space for Me

      Alex needs a break from his pesky little brother, Lucas, so he creates a space for himself, but soon realizes that he and Lucas need time together too.

      A Morning with Grandpa

      In this sweet, slice-of-life story, a curious and active Asian American girl spends the day learning tai chi from her grandfather, and in turn tries to teach him how to do yoga.

      No Mush Today

      The sweet story a young girl who rebels against eating mushy cereal for breakfast every day by leaving her parents and baby brother to spend the day with her grandmother, then realizes home isn't so bad after all.

      Bein' with You This Way

      An African American girl and her friends play together and learn that despite their physical differences, they are all really the same.

      The Story I'll Tell

      In this tender story of international adoption, a mother weaves a magical web of tales to explain how her child came to be part of the family.

      How Far Do You Love Me?

      This unique bedtime book by award-winning author-illustrator Lulu Delacre features a game that highlights the universal love between caregivers and children while taking readers on a journey across the seven continents of Earth.

      The Closet Ghosts

      When a young girl named Anu has trouble adjusting to her new home and school, she calls upon Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god, for help vanquishing the ghosts in her closet.

      Saturday At the New You

      A girl spends the day at her mother's hair salon, a neighborhood gathering place.

      Butterflies for Kiri

      A Japanese American girl grows creatively and, with perseverance, masters the art of making an origami butterfly. Includes instructions.

      Christmas Makes Me Think

      An African American boy considers the meaning of giving and sharing and comes to understand the true spirit of Christmas.

      David's Drawings

      A shy young African American boy makes friends in school by letting his classmates help with his drawing of a bare winter tree.

      Elizabeti's Doll

      A young Tanzanian girl finds a special doll, and realizes how much she loves the doll when she almost loses her.

      Elizabeti's School

      In this contempory Tanzanian story, author Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and artist Christy Hale once again bring the sweet innocence of Elizabeti to life. Readers are sure to recognize this young child's emotions as she copes with her first day of school and discovers the wonder and joy of learning.

      Children of Long Ago

      A celebration of African American childhood in the early 1900s, as told through 17 poems that detail the daily pleasures of young children's lives.

      Giving Thanks

      A traditional Iroquois celebration of the beauty and spirit of Mother Earth, as told by a contemporary Mohawk chief.

      Grandma's Purple Flowers

      An African American girl who cherishes her frequent visits to her favorite Grandma finds a way to remember her grandmother with hope and joy after she passes away.

      I Had a Hippopotamus

      A box of animal crackers inspires a Mexican American boy to imagine what he would do with an eclectic array of creatures.

      Jazz Baby

      A celebration of music and movement, this story in verse is inspired by the riffs, rhythms, and freedom of jazz.

      Mama Elizabeti

      A girl in Africa learns how to help take care of her younger siblings, including a new baby sister.

      My Steps

      An African American girl shares the private world of playtime on her front steps over each of the four seasons.

      My Teacher Can Teach . . . Anyone!

      A young boy and his classmates explore an alphabet of occupations from Astronaut to Zillionaire with the help of the boy's favorite teacher.

      Rainbow Joe and Me

      A girl learns the power of imagination from her blind neighbor.

      Black All Around

      A young girl discovers all the wonderful and beautiful things around her that are black.

      Summer Sun Risin'

      From sunrise to sunset, an African American boy spends an activity-filled summer day helping his family on their farm.

      Up the Learning Tree

      Henry Bell is not allowed to learn to read and write. In fact, most enslaved children, like him, are severely punished if they are even caught with a book.

      When This World Was New

      An uplifting story about a young boy overcoming his fears and embracing his new home in America.

      Where On Earth is My Bagel?

      A young Korean boy gets a craving for a New York bagel and goes on a journey to fulfill his hunger.

      Under the Lemon Moon

      One night, Rosalinda is awakened by a noise in the garden.

      Wave Goodbye

      A joyful workout for young bodies and imaginations. There are so many different ways to wave goodbye!

      Sunday Shopping

      Every Sunday night a young girl and her grandmother go on an imaginary shopping trip in this delightful picture book.

      Cora Cooks Pancit

      Cora and Mama work together to cook up pancit for the family in this celebration of Filipino heritage and foods.

      Babu's Song

      The story of a young Tanzanian boy who learns a lesson about family love after selling the special music box his grandfather made for him.

      Rainbow Stew

      The sweet story of three children who spend a rainy day with their grandfather, picking fresh vegetables in his garden, and then cook and share a meal of healthy vegetable stew.

      Dreaming Up

      A picture book that connects great works of architecture to the ways children build and play.

      Allie's Basketball Dream

      Allie's story of self-determination is one that young athletes, both boys and girls, will recognize. Perfect for anyone who has experienced the ups and downs of practicing and playing hard, Allie's Basketball Dream is a spirited tribute to perseverance.

      The Birthday Swap

      A Mexican American girl looks for the perfect birthday gift for her sister and ends up with a big surprise of her own.

      How Much Wood Could a Woodchuck Chuck?

      Now in paperback, a collection of word plays using compound and/or multi-syllable words based on the children's rhyme of the eponymous name.

      433 in stock

    • 27
      English Guided Reading Level R
      Collection of 27 books: $321.65

      Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree

      The true story of the famous writer, who as a young girl, learned about hope and strength from her mother.

      Crane Boy

      In this empowering picture book about arts, activism, and the environment, Kinga and his classmates create a dance to honor the cranes of Bhutan and raise awareness of their plight.

      Cooper's Lesson

      A tender look at a biracial child's frustration, anger, and, finally, acceptance about being "half and half."

      Aani and the Tree Huggers

      A village girl in India inspires the women around her to save their beloved forest.

      The Magical Monkey King

      A retelling of stories about the brave, smart, and mischievous Monkey King, accompanied by Chinese brush painting and pen drawings.

      Maneki Neko

      The Japanese legend of Maneki Neko, the beckoning cat, who is a symbol of good luck and good fortune in many Asian countries.

      Just Like Me

      Through stories, paintings, and childhood photographs, these fourteen artists open their hearts and invite us to enter into their worlds. With honesty and encouragement, they offer hope for aspiring young people who dream of becoming artists- just like them.