Freedom's Pen: A Story Based on the Life of Freed Slave and Author Phillis Wheatley (Daughters of the Faith Series) [Paperback]

Wendy G. Lawton (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Daughters of the Faith Series

The Daughters of the Faith series has been a great success for Moody so far with 120,000 copies sold. Courage to Run is the most successful, with sales of 39,000. Tinker's Daughter is the next highest, at more than 19,000. They are all continuing to grow. There are a few elements of this series that separate it from many other children's book biographies. First, these books are about little girls. They are not biographies of the entire life of these characters- these are stories about girls who made a difference while they were still young. This enables the young girl readers to relate to the characters more than they would if these characters had to wait until they were thirty or forty before doing anything significant.Second, these stories are faith journeys. Wendy gets inside the minds of these girls in order to portray their struggles to make God an active part of their lives.In 1761, Phillis Wheatley was a little girl of seven or eight years old when she was captured in Gambia and brought to America as a slave. But she didn't let her circumstances keep her down. She learned to read and write in English and Latin, and showed a natural gift for poetry. By the time she was twelve, her elegy at the death of the great pastor George Whitefield brought her worldwide acclaim. Phillis became known to heads of state, including George Washington himself, speaking out for American independence and the end of slavery. She became the first African American to publish a book, and her writings would eventually win her freedom. More importantly, her poetry still proclaims Christ almost 250 years later.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

WENDY LAWTON, an award-winning writer, sculptor, and doll designer, founded the Lawton Doll Company in 1979. She currently works as an agent for the Books & Such Literary Agency. Wendy has written numerous books, including six for her Daughters of Faith series and four for her Real TV series. Wendy is active in her church and is a frequent speaker for women's groups. Wendy and her husband, Keith, are parents to three adult children and live in Hilmar, California.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Moody Publishers; New Edition edition (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802476392
• ISBN-13: 978-0802476395
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #863,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly inspiring story, January 23, 2009

By 

Kristi Holl "children's author" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Freedom's Pen: A Story Based on the Life of Freed Slave and Author Phillis Wheatley (Daughters of the Faith Series) (Paperback)

Freedom's Pen is a compelling and tender true story that chronicles the life of a seven-year-old African girl who is kidnapped by slave traders, survives a harrowing voyage to America, and is purchased by a Boston family. Instead of receiving the beatings she fears, Phillis (named after the name of her slave ship) is treated with kindness. She brings her love of language and storytelling from Africa to Boston, where she is tutored in reading and writing. At twelve, she writes poetry that stirs the soul. She is first published at thirteen. She writes about Jesus being the Savior of the slaves as well as the white people. Phillis knows her words are hard for some to swallow, but it is the truth. She suffers persecution for being different from the other slaves, but she focuses on her gratitude to God to see her through. Inspiring story!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Biography, January 19, 2009

By 

Donita K. Paul (www.dragonkeeper.us) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Freedom's Pen: A Story Based on the Life of Freed Slave and Author Phillis Wheatley (Daughters of the Faith Series) (Paperback)

Wendy Lawton never disappoints. This story not only provided a good read, but accurate history as well. Phillis Wheatley is as real on the pages of Freedom's Pen as she was in colonial America. I am so impressed with this series that I ordered the entire set to loan to my homeschooling friends.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration for All Ages, April 24, 2009

By 

Cheri Williams (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Freedom's Pen: A Story Based on the Life of Freed Slave and Author Phillis Wheatley (Daughters of the Faith Series) (Paperback)

A tragic beginning, an unlikely intervention, and a life of hope and love... in the hands of a master storyteller. Award-winning author, Wendy Lawton, does it again in her most recent installment of The Daughters of the Faith series. Freedom's Pen is an historical fiction stand-alone billed for eight to twelve-year-old girls, but a book even the most sophisticated reader will enjoy.

Phillis Wheatley was kidnapped into slavery, sold on an auction block and transplanted into pre-revolutionary war-brewing Boston. She lived during a time when slave children remained uneducated, women were rarely published and most didn't believe a slave could learn to read much less become a celebrated writer. Despite all odds, she became a popular poet, the first African-American to publish a book, and one of the first writers to earn a living from her work. Maker of literary and American history Phillis Wheatley lived a life of humility and grace.

Lawton retells Phillis's early years with captivating scintillation. She flawlessly knits known facts and fictional details into a riveting story of loss, hope, and triumph. The reader is transported to Africa, the horrors of a slave ship, and then to the affluent Wheatley home in a way that is historically accurate, but without so much detail as to overwhelm young readers. Lawton handles heavy themes with an eye toward age-appropriateness.

The characters are riveting, real, and complex: from the cruelty of the slave traders, to the generosity and caring of the slave-owning Wheatleys, to Phillis with her heart-wrenching loss, struggle, and ultimate victory. Affluent visitors and resentful slaves in the Wheatley household add additional tension. Faith and prevalent Christian themes are explored and lived out without being preachy.

The ending comes quickly but leaves the reader satisfied. A back-of-book glossary and non-fiction notes add fullness and closure to the reading experience. Highly recommended for anyone with a bent toward history, humanity, or hope.

From the Christian Library Journal; used by permission.