Henry's Freedom Box

Henry's Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Genre: Nonfiction (Biography)

Major Awards: Caldecott Medal

Grade Level: 1-5

Summary: This book tells the true story of  Henry "Box" Brown and how he escaped slavery. When Henry was a child, his master was very sick and passed away. He gave Henry to his son. After saying goodbye to his family, Henry went to work in his master's factory and grew into a young man. One day he met Nancy in the streets, who would become his wife. They had three children together. Henry's master sold Henry's wife and children and he never saw them again. Lonely and longing for freedom, Henry sought the help of James and Dr. Smith (a man against slavery). Henry purposely burned his hand with chemicals so his master would let him stay home. Then, James and Dr. Smith packed Henry into a box, wrote the address of his friends who lived in Philadelphia, and mailed him. After what seemed like months, Henry finally arrived safely and earned the new name, Henry "Box" Brown.

Evaluation: I would definitely use this book in my classroom. The way it's written can be very easily understood by children, and the beautiful and large illustrations make the story come alive. It also can lead to new discussions, whether they be about the book itself or American history regarding slavery. I also think it is a great tool because the author's note at the end provides a lot of historical background and detail.

Henry's Freedom Box is perfect for grades one through five. The words are not too difficult and the content addressed is both interesting and historically accurate. When reading it to younger students, the illustrations are a great aid. It could also be read in parts throughout a couple of days and reviewed each day so that it is not too much information at one time. For older students, it is appropriate and intriguing.

After reading this book, I could not help but think of many ideas as to how it could be used in the classroom. It could be used to teach about book genres, slavery (as a whole or broken down...the underground railroad or abolitionists), or even as a math lesson (figuring out how far he traveled in what amount of time, how big the box had to be for him to fit). I love this book and will definitely be purchasing it for my future classroom!