Reading Journal #9: Up Before Daybreak: cotton and People in America

Up Before Daybreak by Deborah Hopkinson takes the reader on a journey through the history of cotton in America before the Civil War and after. Hopkinson places great attention on the many effects that the crop had on the people allowing the reader to draw conclusions about the wide range of consequences this crop produced (positive and negative). She includes a discussion of several aspects of American culture and economy that were impacted by by this agricultural development including slavery, racism, poverty, and child labor. Children and adults alike can learn from the clear and striking photgraphs found on almost every turn of the page. Each story is told elegantly and attempts to accurately depict the history of cotton in the United States. The index and further reading sections allow students to easily use this as a reference book to look up specific questions or begin independent research. This book is both intriguing and informative and will teach even the least interested reader something fascinating and representative of American History.