Henry's Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine
Publication Date: 2007
Type of Book: Historical Fiction Picture Book

Henry's Freedom Box is a historical fiction picture book about a little boy who grew up as a slave. When he was just a young boy he was sold to another master and separated from his mother. Later in his life he met a women who he eventually married. They had three children together and were fortunate enough to live together even though they had different masters. One day Henry received the horrible news that his wife and children had been sold. Henry lost everything that mattered to him and decided he couldn't live as a salve anymore. With the help of a white doctor they crafted a plan to help Henry escape slavery for good. They packed up Henry in a box with a shipping address of Philadelphia. After a long journey Henry arrived in Philadelphia and was a free man.

The most distinct quality of this book is the illustrations. The people are all drawn using crosshatching. I had never seen illustrations like this before. The illustrations also did a good job in portraying the sadness felt by the characters. This story really showed readers what life was like for someone brought up in slavery. My heart felt so heavy for Henry and his family. They couldn't help that they were African American, yet they were punished for it anyways. Their lives weren't their own and they were in constant fear of being separated and sold.

I would recommend this book for students of any age. This is a wonderful text to teach about slavery and the Underground Railroad. The text may be too challenging for younger elementary school students  to read on their own, so that is why a read aloud would be best. Even though the words are complex the message can be understood as long as the teacher provides background information and time to ask and discuss questions. In upper elementary school the students can read this on their own or in groups and use it to support their learning about this time period.

Image References
http://www.amazon.com/Henrys-Freedom-Box-Underground-Railroad/dp/043977733X