Author Vanita Oelschlager and artist Mike Blanc teamed up to create a beautifully illustrated and written book for young readers about the Pullman Porters of railroad's heyday.
The work was often grueling and poorly paid, but it was considered a prestigious job for African Americans (many of whom, in the early days, were ex-slaves). The book is short, 44 pages, but each is beautifully illustrated and the text is accessible and well written.

I can imagine this being a useful book in a classroom setting, as a part of a unit on post Civil War America, as a background book for a unit on ethnic diversity and roles in America, or as a study unit on railroads/travel.

I remember when I was a child, traveling from Pittsburgh to Boston and Cape Cod every summer. We traveled by train, and even in the 60s and early 70s it was a wonderful adventure.

This book does not sugar-coat or play down the degrading and often dangerous work which was required of the porters. They were expected to purchase and maintain their uniforms and even to buy the shoe-polish they used.

Well researched and factual, I learned a lot about the history of the Pullman porters and the afterword even lists some of the more famous of their descendants.

The Pullman Porter by Vanita Oelschlager. Vanita Books. Illustrated by Mike Blanc. Children’s Nonfiction, History. 5+++ Stars. First of all, gorgeous art; this book is full of handsome people, the insides of the sleeper cars and lush scenery illustrated with vibrant colors. George Pullman and his creation of comfortable seating, sleeping and dining cars for the wealthy was just the beginning. The Pullman porters, under the leadership of A. Philip Randolph, are credited with starting the Civil Rights Movement and leading African Americans out of slavery. Interesting and important history for both the young and old to know. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and VanitaBooks for providing this ebook for review.

What initially caught my eye was the amazing artwork in this book. This little book should be in every school library as it teaches important facts about the civil rights movement which, surprisingly began with men who were Pullman porters. Very interesting!

This book serves as a tribute to the now forgotten Pullman Porters who played a vital role in turning the lives of many black Americans post Civil War and helped them earn their basic rights as Americans and humans, when they started the Civil Rights Movement. Personally, I've never heard of them, so this book with exquisite illustrations was not only a treat to read but an educational experience which increased my knowledge on a subject so important.

It captures every piece of information in a succinct manner and the wonderful illustration serve as an additional bonus, definitely pick this one if you're looking for a short history lesson in the least boring way!

I highly recommend The Pullman Porter for preschoolers and elementary aged children. It outlines the history of the Pullman Porter including the services they performed and stark conditions of the job. It then nicely transitions to the Pullman Porter's role in the civil rights movement. The illustrations are inspiring and augment the history beautifully.

An excellent homage to some courageous men who started something massive for Black Americans in the United States. Vanita continues to impress.

I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley.com to review. I enjoyed this book. It is a child's level book, but I learned more from this book than I had ever known. This is a long-forgotten piece of history, but I don't think it should have been forgotten. I plan on reading this to my boys, ages 7 and 12, respectively. The illustrations in this book are wonderfully done, as well. I'd even go so far as to say that they could be framed and hung on the wall as art.

The Pullman Porter – An American Journey is a very instructive children’s book about the unexpected role of Pullman Porters in the American history. Not only did they help millions of American explore the vast continent, but they also contributed to kickstart the Civil Rights Movements later led by Martin Luther King Jr.

This beautifully illustrated children’s book describes how ex-slaves managed to grow and offer a better future to their families thanks to this job that took them to many parts of the country and that also allowed them to be in contact with the upper class. They learned a lot from what they saw and heard, which led them to value education for their own children. That’s why the book teaches us that many former Pullman Porters have descendants who became doctors, lawyers or even actors!

It was a great idea to put together this children’s book and focus on these men who had a tough job despite their sleek appearance. It’s a great way to inform children and adults about this specific part of American history that deserves to be in the spotlight.

I was sorry to see that this title is not downloadable to Kindle. This should be given in the information section.

"The Pullman Porter" traces the history of the railway sleeping car, invented by George Pullman in 1857, and the creation of the Pullman Porter, a job necessitated by its inception. Although rail travel across the country existed in the 1830's, the journey was uncomfortable, noisy and dirty. Pullman's idea was to provide fine meals and beds with mattresses for his wealthy clientele. Hiring freed slaves as porters was cost effective. Although Pullman Porters were highly respected by their home communities, the job was far from glamorous. They were poorly paid making most of their money from tips earned shining shoes and babysitting children. Would you believe that they had to pay out-of-pocket for the shoe polish they used to shine passenger's shoes?

Author Vanita Oelschlager explains how Pullman Porters arguably helped start the Civil Rights Movement. Constantly catering to the needs of the rail passengers, they had access to newspapers left behind. They listened and learned. Many amazing facts can be gleaned from this book. Did you know that Whoopi Goldberg's grandfather was a Pullman Porter?

"The Pullman Porter" by Vanita Oelschlager and illustrated by Mike Blanc recreates a time in history before the advent of major air travel. A very enjoyable read for both children and adults.

Thank you Vanita Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Pullman Porter".