Henry's Freedom Box

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Levine, Ellen. 2007. HENRY’S FREEDOM BOX. Ill. By Kadir Nelson. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 043977733X

PLOT SUMMARY
In this picture book, Ellen Levine tells the story of a famous runaway slave, Henry “Box” Brown. The story begins with Henry as a child, growing up as a slave and dreaming of freedom. He is forced to leave his family to work for a new, more intense master, where Henry and the other slaves are badly mistreated. When he gets older, he meets his future wife, builds a life with her and their small children, all of whom are sold at the slave market, leaving Henry all alone. Not willing to accept his upsetting and depressing situation, Henry devises a plan to mail himself to freedom. After a long, uncomfortable journey in a crate, Henry reaches friends in Philadelphia and celebrates his first day of freedom.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Levine paints a beautiful picture in words throughout this heart-wrenching story. Her sentences are often short and simple, allowing younger readers and listeners, even those with little prior knowledge, to fully understand the concept of slavery. The music of her words “Henry twisted tobacco leaves. His heart twisted in his chest,” shows readers how sad the lives of slaves were as well as allows them to feel the desperation the characters portray. Readers will undoubtedly be touched by the sadness and pain of Henry’s life as well as experience his joy when he finally becomes a free man.

Nelson’s artwork adds volumes to Levine’s already artistic writing. The pencil, watercolor, and oil illustrations flawlessly portray the expression and emotion of Henry “Box” Brown’s remarkable story, allowing readers to see the true emotions and motivations of the characters. Nelson’s attention to details beautifully contributes a life-like quality to his art throughout the book, leaving readers even more captured by the words and the illustrations that move with them.

An author’s note found at the end shares more information about Henry “Box” Brown and the Underground Railroad. Sharing this story with younger and older children alike will teach them and help them to understand a dark part in our nation’s history. They will find the life of this runaway slave fascinating. It just might spark an interest and motivate them to find out more about slavery, the Underground Railroad, and how our nation has been affected by this time in history.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A Caldecott Honor Book, 2008
A KIRKUS REVIEWS Best Book and starred review: “sonorous prose that makes a perfect match for the art”
Editors’ choice and starred review in BOOKLIST: “Transcending technique is the humanity Nelson imbues in his characters.”

CONNECTIONS
*Use this book and others about the Underground Railroad in a unit about slavery in the United States.
*Share this story along with Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom (Jump at the Sun, 2006) and compare Nelson’s artwork in both.
*Begin a study on famous runaway slaves and the people who helped them.


*Other books for children about slavery and the Underground Railroad are:

Hopkinson, Deborah. 2002. UNDER THE QUILT OF NIGHT. Ill. by James E. Ransome. New York: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books. ISBN 0689822278

Ringold, Faith. 1992. AUNT HARRIET’S UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN THE SKY. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0517587688

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2006. MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Ill. by Kadir Nelson. New York: Jump at the Sun. ISBN 0786851759
**Caldecott Honor Book, 2007