Henry's Freedom Box (Module 1)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Levine, Ellen. 2007. Henry's Freedom Box. Ill. By Kadir Nelson. New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439777339

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Ellen Levine’s prose coupled with Kadir Nelson’s illustrations creates in this book an incredibly moving fictionalized version of Henry Brown’s journey from slave to free man. The book opens with Henry as a child and states matter-of-factly that he doesn’t know how old he is because “slaves weren’t allowed to know their birthdays.” The plot quickly moves from tragedy to tragedy as Henry is taken from his mother then later loses his wife and children as they are sold elsewhere while he is at work. With nothing to lose and freedom to gain, Henry decides to mail himself in a shipping crate to Philadelphia. Tension builds as his journey takes place, but he is successful and later becomes known as Henry “Box” Brown.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Levine uses statements of fact in an understated way, which gets her point across without preaching. For example, she states simply that “slaves weren’t allowed to know their birthdays” and “slaves didn’t dare sing in the streets.” These facts are shocking and yet treated with such simplicity that children should quickly grasp the horrific life Brown was leading without touching on the graphic details of slavery.

While writing simply, Levine does not ignore imagery in her language. Henry’s mother uses a simile when describing leaves blowing: “They are torn from the trees like slave children are torn from their families.” This statements turns out to be foreshadowing. As Henry is actually being taken from his mother, the leaf image is again played out. The image of a bird and its freedom is also used both when Brown is taken from his mother and the moment he decides to find his own freedom.

Nelson’s illustrations convey such deep emotion throughout while not over-sentimentalizing such a tragic story. The jacket states that he was inspired by a lithograph of Henry Box Brown and tried to recreate this look with his illustrations using cross-hatched pencil lines, water color, and oil. By doing so, the illustrations add crucial details of setting for young readers, especially time period. Nelson’s use of close-ups and wide-framed illustrations drive the plot along and help portray the intense emotions. Tension is heightened as Henry is shown in the box being turned different ways. It is no surprise that Kadir Nelson was awarded a Caldecott Honor for his work in this book.

This book does an incredible job of not just telling the reader about the evils of slavery, but rather simply showing it through the tragic events in Henry Brown’s life. Children should quickly grasp that freedom and personal liberty are worth risking everything for and that keeping someone from that liberty is one of the worst acts man can commit.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Caldecott Honor Book
• ALA Notable Book
• Starred review in Horn Book: “Transcending technique is the humanity Nelson imbues in his characters”
• Starred review in Booklist: “There is no sugarcoating; however, the conclusion is moving and satisfying.”
• Starred review in Kirkus: “This is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved.”
  

5. CONNECTIONS

• This book is excellent source for beginning discussions on slavery and the underground railroad. The K-W-L (know-want-learn) strategy would work well in teaching this book.
  
• Nelson has many other books that portray African Americans throughout history. Collect these stories and look at how he uses his artwork to convey setting as he did with this book.
• Other picture books about the Underground Railroad:

Mortensen, Lori. Harriet Tubman: hero of the Underground Railroad. ISBN 9781404831032

Riggio, Anita. Secret signs: along the Underground Railroad. ISBN 9781590780725