Henry’s Freedom Box

Henry’s Freedom Box
by Levine, Ellen Illustrated by Nelson, Kadir Scholastic Press New York 2007 ISBN 0-439-77733-X
Ellen Levine http://www.ellenlevineauthor.com/
Kadir Nelson http://www.kadirnelson.com/
Lesson Plan https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0BzBMSRW54LduNWMwOTE1YTEtNzA2ZC00ZDc4LTk2ZTYtNzE5ZGU4YWI2MTBk&hl=en_US

Annotation:
Henry was ripped from his family, first his brothers and sister, then his wife and children. He resiliently worked hard, and with help from a few friends, eventually mailed himself to freedom in a box.

Quote:
“Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind, they are torn from the trees like slave children torn from their families” Henry’s mother to her young content son.
Personal Reaction:
This is a heart wrenching book, recreating the life of Henry “Box” Brown, who escaped slavery by mailing himself in a box to Philadelphia. I don’t need to tell you how horrible slavery is; you will feel it deep in your throat when reading Henry’s story. Levine writes with such a softness, that the sadness seeps in while keeping you on the edge of your seat. The illustrations are dramatically intertwined with the text, and must be drunk in slowly. Henry is sold from his family, his wife and children are sold from him in a tear jerking scene. He resiliently works on, befriending an abolitionist doctor who helps him escape from the South. I read this book to older students aloud in the library, although the content is hard. Reading a sad book especially one about slavery to a diverse population is a sensitive matter. Care must be taken to have conversations through the story, and to be sure to talk about the feelings the students are having. This book stirs emotions, and must be read with care. Henry emerges from his box a free man, and the reader feels everything that moment worked up to, it is very powerful. The author’s note at the end is an important piece to add to this read aloud. It gives historical details and accuracy to this amazing story, students are blown away that it is true.
Illustrations: watercolor, pencil, oil
The above lesson uses Weston Wood Book Guide and Lesson Plan questions:Book Guide, Lesson Plan
Slavery
African American
Underground Railroad
Henry “Box” Brown
Abolitionists
Awards: A Caldecott Medal honor book, 2008