Module 10: Henry's Freedom Box

Summary

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine is an historical fiction picture book that is based on real people and real events.  It is the true story of Henry “Box” Brown’s escape from slavery.  It chronicles his life from childhood to adulthood through brief glimpses of the heart wrenching events that he endured and through occasional dialogue with others.  Kadir Nelson is the illustrator and the images he creates tell the story in a powerful, honest way.  It’s the type of picture book that could be understood by just looking at the illustrations.  This book tells a story that readers will not forget.  It is a true story that is told so simply and clearly that there is no escape from the realization that this was a time of unbelievable suffering for slaves.  This book would fit in nicely with some of the content my fifth graders are studying in social studies, and I think it would initiate a lot of meaningful discussions.  I think the author took great care to make the story accurate.  Even so, you may find yourself shaking your head thinking that such cruelty can’t be possible.  The author doesn’t overly embellish on the details of Brown’s life, instead she states things in way that gives you appreciation for his perseverance and ingenuity.

Levine, E. (2007). Henry's freedom box. New York, Scholastic Press.

Impressions

Levine provides readers with a compelling true story that seems unimaginable and unbelievable.  I feel grateful to her for sharing Henry Brown's story, I had never heard it before.  Henry's life is relatable to children because Levine focuses on family.  He is torn first from his mother, then later in life from his wife and children.  After such tragic losses, and with no hope of happiness as a slave, he decides to get help so that he can be secretly shipped to a free state in a crate.  Younger students may be very confused by why all of this happened to Henry, so the librarian will need to prepare the lesson carefully to help guide students in their understanding of the story.  The illustrations fit the text beautifully, and provide plenty of information to tell the story on their own.  This is the type of historical fiction that can shape people's understanding of the injustice and cruelty of slavery.  In addition to the Caldecott Medal it also won the Jane Addam's Peace Award.

Professional Review

Nelson's powerful portraits add a majestic element to Levine's history-based tale of Henry "Box" Brown, a slave who escaped by having himself mailed to freedom in a crate. Depicted as a solemn boy with an arresting gaze on the cover, Henry displays riveting presence in every successive scene, as he grows from child to adult, marries and is impelled to make his escape after seeing his beloved wife and children sold to slaveowners.  Related in measured sonorous prose that makes a perfect match for the art, this is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved, especially those who may have been tantalized by the entry on Brown in Virginia Hamilton's Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom (1993).

Kirkus. (2007). [Review of the book Henry's Freedom Box, by E. Levine]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-levine/henrys-freedom-box/

Library Uses

The librarian could collaborate with the classroom teacher on the social studies unit that best ties with developing the students' understanding of the social and political issues related to slavery.  Thoughtful consideration should be given to the questions posed to students before, during, and after reading this story.  Students could explore these questions through guided-inquiry activities that include research, interviews, data collection, and perhaps even debate.  The illustrator does an excellent job in telling this story in pictures.  Students could identify elements in the illustrations that relate to the text, as well as identify some techniques the artist used to help us relate to Henry.