Barbara Greenwood and Heather Collins have done it again. Using the same format that made their award-winning A Pioneer Story such a success, they have brought to life another important slice of the Canadian past. This time it is the tense world of the Underground Railroad, the network of abolitionists who helped escaped slaves flee to freedom in Canada.

As in A Pioneer Story, the heart of The Last Safe House is a story about fictional characters. In this case, we meet Johanna Reid, daughter of an abolitionist in St. Catharines, Ontario, who takes in a runaway slave. Johanna is at first appalled and resentful at the presence of the black girl Eliza. But as she learns more about Eliza’s desperate situation, and observes the prejudice of some of the townspeople, her resentment turns to sympathy and action. The anxious and fearful Eliza has been separated from both her brother and mother on the journey, and when her brother joins them, she is ecstatic. At the end, their mother is found and both children head off to join her in Toronto. By this time, Eliza and Johanna have become close friends, and Johanna has taught Eliza to read and write – perhaps the greatest gift a slave could be given. This fictional story, based on the experiences of many real slaves and their helpers, is filled with drama and pathos and grips the reader from beginning to end.

Interspersed with chapters of the story are expository double-page spreads that fill in background and context. There is information about the Underground Railroad (including a map of routes), about slavery, plantation life, African storytelling traditions, slave catchers, and famous abolitionists. There is even a recipe for the gingerbread cookies Eliza makes. The mix of story, information, and activities for kids brings the past vividly alive. This is a terrific book, ideal for both home and classroom use.