Picture Book #21 - Caldecott Honor

Title:  Henry's Freedom Box

Author:  Ellen Levine

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Genre:  Youth Fiction 

Subgenre:   Realisitc/Historical Fiction

Themes:  Slavery, slavery life, Henry "Box" Brown, Underground Railroad, 1800's, African Americans, finding freedom

Primary and Secondary Characters: Henry Brown, Henry's brothers and sisters, Henry's mother, Henry's masters, Nancy, Henry's children, James and Dr. Smith

Awards:  2008 Caldecott Honor Book, Comstock Honor Book

Date of Publication:  2007

Publishing Company:  Scholastic Press

Summary:

Based on the true story of Henry "Box" Brown, Henry had never known a birthday until he "delivers" himself to freedom on March 30, 1849.  When Henry was a boy, he was traded to his master's son to work in his factory.  That was the last time he would see his mother, brothers and sisters.  When Henry was a teenager, he met Nancy, who worked for a different master.  Soon, they would be married and their masters agreed that they could live together as long as it did not interfere with their work.  Together they had three children and they were happy considering their enslavement.  Until one day, Henry heard from his friend, James, that his wife and children were being sold at a slave market.  As soon as Henry arrived at the market, he already saw his children and wife being taken in a wagon far down the road.  Henry was depressed.  He no longer sang and he no longer hummed.  As weeks passed, Henry envied a bird that was flying free through the sky.  Henry wished that was him, and he had an idea.  He asked his friend James and Dr. Smith (who had helped slaves and thought that slavery was wrong), to construct him a box that he could fit in, and then be mailed in.  Dr. Smith agreed and would send Henry in the box to his friends in Philadelphia, where slaves were free.  As Henry was being shipped, he tried to withstand all the arrangements the box put him in.  He would be upside down, sideways, and finally, if it were a good day, he would be upright.  As he was finally delivered, Henry felt free as soon as he climbed outside the box.  Henry was then given the nickname Henry "Box" Brown.

How it will be used in the classroom:
Since this is based on a true event, I think this would be a great book to have in the classroom for children to get a true glimpse at history.  I also really liked how the pictures in this book help show what the 1800's looked like.  A great activity for children with this book would be to teach them about the Underground Railroad and other events that occurred with slaves.  This book would then act as a great resource for that lesson.