Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper

 

Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper
              • 4+
              • Coretta Scott King Award
Summary:

This book follows the trials and tribulations of Amari, a 15 year-old African girl. After witnessing the slaughter of both the old and young in her village, including her parents and her young brother, she is chained, by feet, hands, and neck, lined up, and herded miles on foot to the ocean by pale skinned visitors with fire sticks. She watches her fellow Africans suffer incomprehensible humiliation and death at the hands of their captors as they are shipped like animal cargo across the ocean. The life that awaits her is nothing like she could have ever imagined. Amari must adapt to life as a purchased slave on a rice plantation, a life that includes atrocities committed upon her by her white owners. She meets Polly, an indentured servant who has dreams of making it to the big house and being a fine lady of standing. Instead, Polly lives in the slave quarters with Amari and finds she’s given the chore of civilizing Amari, now called Myna, and teaching her enough English to work. After witnessing murder, the two girls find themselves thrown together in a desperate run for freedom.
Evaluation:
This book is easily the best book I have ever read. I think this book does a great job of portraying what life was like for slaves, especially the female slaves, during this time period. This book is a little advanced, so I would most likely save this for my more advanced students to read. 

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