Henry's Freedom Box
Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad is a children's story book written by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. The book won quite a number of prestigious children's book awards, including the Caldecott Honor in 2008. Additionally, the book was named to many 'best books' lists, including the American Library Association Notable Children's Book in 2008 and the National Council for Social Studies Notable Social Studies Book in 2008. [1]
Plot
Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday -- his first day of freedom. [2]
Controversy
This book paints a picture for children of the harsh reality of what it was like to be a slave. Henry's Freedom Box tells the true story of Henry, a young boy who grows into a man under the harsh conditions of slavery, all the time yearning to be free. Henry Brown was born a slave. When his master died, Henry was sent away from his mother to work in a factory. He met Nancy, a slave girl. The two married and had three children, but one day, Nancy and the children were sold to another slave owner and taken away. Henry just knew that he had to be free, and came up with the idea of mailing himself to the north where there were no slaves. [3]
References
- ↑ Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. The Best Childrens Books. Retrieved January 31 2021.
- ↑ Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. Amazon. Retrieved January 31 2021.
- ↑ Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad.The Hope Chest Review. Retrieved January 31 2021.