Before She Was Harriet is a 2017 children's picture book written by Lesa Cline-Ransome and illustrated by James Ransome, first published by Holiday House.

"[5] Critics from Kirkus Reviews enjoyed James Ransom's double paged watercolor illustrations, as they would help children fix themselves "in each time and place as the text takes them further into the past.

"[6] Barbara L. Talcroft from Children's Literature says, "Lesa Cline-Raonsome and James E. Ransome have created a fitting tribute to her with Before She Was Harriet.

The Ransomes take readers on a journey through time, exploring the many roles Harriet Tubman assumed in her extraordinary life.

[8] Booklist,[9] the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature,[10] the Chicago Public Library,[11] Kirkus Reviews named Before She Was Harriet one of the best books of 2017.

The film's animation includes an adapted version of James E. Ransome's "lush and detailed watercolor illustrations", which Booklist's Jessica Lawrence notes "evoke the emotion, daring, and heroism of Tubman’s life".