Henry's Freedom Box

Henry's Freedom Box

By Ellen Levine

Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Scholastic, 2008

38 pages

Historical Fiction

      I chose this book because it is such an inspiring story. Henry was born a slave and as a young boy his mother explained to him that slave children are ripped from their families like the leaves are ripped from the trees. His mother was right and Henry was given to work in a factory after his master died.  He did find something happy though, he found Nancy, and they were married. After they had children of their own, Nancy started having the same fears that Henry's mother did. She worried that their children would be sold. She was right too. While Henry was at the factory he received word that his family had been sold on the slave market. After much sadness, Henry decided to get himself to freedom. His friend, a doctor, helped him mail himself to freedom! Henry has gone down in history as the most famous runaway slave. He is known as Henry "Box" Brown.

       The illustrations are done in pencil, I think. They are extremely integral to the story. Nelson shows all of the emotion into the characters faces and it is easy for you to try and imagine exactly what they are feeling. They are beautifully drawn in bright and sometimes somber colors, befitting the mood.

      When I was in elementary school we reenacted the under-ground railroad at a camp, but you could do this in your classroom, or school as well! You could also bring a wooden box in to let the students sit inside so they may gain a real-life perspective on what it must have been like for him to travel all that way in a box. Why not talk about how they would feel if they were separated from their family?