Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine and illustrated by Kadir Nelson



 

Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson
              • Historical Fiction
              • K-4
              • Caldecott Honor Book
Summary:
This is a story about a slave boy named Henry, who finds a way to freedom. Henry was given to the son of his master as a young boy, but found a wife as he got older. Henry and his wife were lucky, since they were allowed to live together even though they had different masters. Henry and his wife, Nancy, had children together and were as happy as they could be given the situation. Until one day, his children and wife were sold at an auction, and Henry was devastated. A little while after this, Henry came up with an idea. He would put himself in a box and mail himself to somewhere without slavery. This was a risky plan, since he had to be very quiet so he did not get caught. Henry managed to get out of a day at work and has was successfully mailed to Philadelphia, and lived with some people he knew there and that is where the story ends. 
Evaluation:
I think this is a great book to teach students about The Underground Railroad. This book is based off a true story, and I think it is a more exciting way to teach about this topic than just reading from a textbook. This is a very engaging story and while it is sad at some parts, there is a semi happy ending. 

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