Hope's Gift

We loved reading Hope's Gift and highly recommend it for people young or old ! Hope's Gift is a blend of the seriousness of slavery and the innocence of a children's story. It is a great short story for elementary level readers as it gives a glimpse of history that can be understood by young minds. In the story by Ms. Lyons, Hope's father leaves to join the Civil War. Hope, her brother and her mother wait for over a year for him to return home but are constantly consoled by a conch shell that her father left with them. The sound that came from the shell was the sound of freedom. Hope's father eventually returns from the war and there is a happy ending. The Illustrations by Don Tate were very good and enhanced the story because of his attention to detail to the family and the shell.

I liked how Kelly has given an historical depiction of slavery from a child's point of view.

I absolutely loved this book!

This is a wonderful story - beautifully written and illustrated. A wonderful way to help students or your child understand the impact of slavery. The father as a soldier fighting for his family is a unique perspective that is important and often not portrayed in children's literature.So why one star?Does not read well on Kindle. Text will not enlarge. There is no screen rotation.Absolutely recommend but buy the actual book.

My four year old daughter absolutely loves this book. It's become a bedtime favorite!

I read this book over breakfast and it bought tears to my eyes. I am always inspired by Kelly Starling Lyons ability to show the empathy and humanity even in topics such as reconstruction and slavery. I am so glad I bought an extra copy for my local school. It is a story any child can relate to as they hope for important things.