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Henry's Freedom Box (Caldecott Honor Book)
 
 
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Henry's Freedom Box (Caldecott Honor Book) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

List Price: $16.99
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Frequently Bought Together

Henry's Freedom Box (Caldecott Honor Book) + Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book) + Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)
Price For All Three: $29.00

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  • This item: Henry's Freedom Box (Caldecott Honor Book) by Ellen Levine

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  • Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book) by Carole Boston Weatherford

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  • Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book) by David Wiesner

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Levine (Freedom's Children) recounts the true story of Henry Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. Thanks to Nelson's (Ellington Was Not a Street) penetrating portraits, readers will feel as if they can experience Henry's thoughts and feelings as he matures through unthinkable adversity. As a boy, separated from his mother, he goes to work in his new master's tobacco factory and eventually meets and marries another slave, with whom he has three children. In a heartwrenching scene depicted in a dramatically shaded pencil, watercolor and oil illustration, Henry watches as his family—suddenly sold in the slave market—disappears down the road. Henry then enlists the help of an abolitionist doctor and mails himself in a wooden crate "to a place where there are no slaves!" He travels by horse-drawn cart, steamboat and train before his box is delivered to the Philadelphia address of the doctor's friends on March 30, 1849. Alongside Henry's anguished thoughts en route, Nelson's clever cutaway images reveal the man in his cramped quarters (at times upside-down). A concluding note provides answers to questions that readers may wish had been integrated into the story line, such as where did Henry begin his journey? (Richmond, Va.); how long did it take? (27 hours). Readers never learn about Henry's life as a free man—or, perhaps unavoidably, whether he was ever reunited with his family. Still, these powerful illustrations will make readers feel as if they have gained insight into a resourceful man and his extraordinary story. Ages 4-8. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From School Library Journal

Grade 2–5—Inspired by an actual 1830s lithograph, this beautifully crafted picture book briefly relates the story of Henry "Box" Brown's daring escape from slavery. Torn from his mother as a child, and then forcibly separated from his wife and children as an adult, a heartsick and desperate Brown conspired with abolitionists and successfully traveled north to Philadelphia in a packing crate. His journey took just over one full day, during which he was often sideways or upside down in a wooden crate large enough to hold him, but small enough not to betray its contents. The story ends with a reimagining of the lithograph that inspired it, in which Henry Brown emerges from his unhappy confinement—in every sense of the word—and smiles upon his arrival in a comfortable Pennsylvania parlor. Particularly considering the broad scope of Levine's otherwise well-written story, some of the ancillary "facts" related in her text are unnecessarily dubious; reports vary, for instance, as to whether the man who sealed Henry into the crate was a doctor or a cobbler. And, while the text places Henry's arrival on March 30, other sources claim March 24 or 25. Nelson's illustrations, always powerful and nuanced, depict the evolution of a self-possessed child into a determined and fearless young man. While some of the specifics are unfortunately questionable, this book solidly conveys the generalities of Henry Brown's story.—Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews
5 star:
 (18)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars You're never too old to read and learn from a picture book!, February 8, 2007
By Vickie Beene Beavers "vbeene" (Atlanta, Ga. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Had the story not been documented, one would believe that the story of a fugitive slave shipping himself to freedom by freight mail was merely a urban legend. In Henry Freedom's Box this unbelievable but daring true story is brought to life. The story authored by Ellen Levine succesfully traces Brown's early life to his ultimate escape to freedom at the age thirty-three. Award-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson creates such realistic intimacy with his muted but intense illustrations of former Virginia slave Henry "Box" Brown. In just two pages, the artist convincingly conveys the painful and risktaking trip of Mr. Henry "Box" Brown. This scene, this story will touch any person who can empathize with any harrowing escape.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Cost of Freedom, June 1, 2007
Born a slave, Henry and his siblings worked in the "big house" for his master -- who, on his deathbed, gave Henry to his son. During the years he worked for the son in his tobacco warehouse, Henry grew to manhood
and married a girl who was enslaved by a neighbor. They had children. His wife accurately discerned that her master had debts that might cause him to sell his slaves. This was done one day while Henry was working.
At lunchtime, he caught a departing glimpse of his family members, and then he never saw them again.

After weeks of despair, Henry had an idea while he was moving a crate. He would mail himself to freedom.This true story is told in understated prose which only enhances its power. With realistic paintings in a dark
palette appropriate for Henry's sad experiences, there are no smiles in this book except on the page depicting Henry's family together. His wife has a gentle half-smile. On the last page when Henry is climbing
out of his box in Philadelphia, both the mailed and the recipients are smiling.



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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Spare story of one man's struggle against slavery, January 13, 2008
By dnk "dnkboston" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
This story documents the slavery and eventual freedom of one man. Henry and his brothers and sisters work for a good master. However, on his deathbed, the master gives Henry to his son, separating Henry from the rest of his family forever. Henry works well in the master's son's tobacco factory, presumably avoiding the beatings of the foreman. Later, he meets Nancy, a slave of another master. The two are allowed to marry and live together, and eventually they have three children. Unfortunately, Nancy's master suffers a financial loss, and Henry is informed one day that his wife and children have been sold.

The loss of this family is forever too, and Henry is now spurred to seek his freedom so he'll never have to suffer a loss like that again. With the help of two friends- one another slave, one a white doctor who doesn't believe in slavery- he literally mails himself to freedom in Philadelphia.

What I liked most about this book was that the author does not force an emotional response out of the reader because she doesn't have to. Young readers- as well as adults- can immediately appreciate the horror of being separated from your family as a child and then losing your children. The author presents the losses, but doesn't dictate the grief and anger that the main character must have felt. This makes the reader's response that much more powerful.

Although Henry does eventually gain his freedom, his previous losses haunt the end of the story, just as they must have haunted him and countless other American slaves.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging picture book about a slave who mailed himself to freedom!!!
Henry "Box" Brown is mentioned in other books (If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad also by Ellen Levine) but in Henry's Freedom Box much more detail about his life pulls... Read more
Published 4 days ago by 2boys0girls

5.0 out of 5 stars "The man who mailed himself to freedom"
"Henry's Freedom Box" for ages 4-8, is a wonderful way to introduce young children to the history of the Underground Railroad,which was the term used to refer to the secret ways... Read more
Published 1 month ago by z hayes

5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Underground Railroad
I first saw this book at our school's book fair, and after it was over, I was sad that I had not bought it. Then I thought of Amazon.com. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Cindy Lou Who

4.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite book for young of all ages!
A hard story, but the beauty and sweetness of the illustrations will help mitigate the harshness of the facts.
Published 8 months ago by Rosemary Gallagher

5.0 out of 5 stars Henry's Freedon Box
This book is a great way to teach children about a horribly sad part of our American History.
Published 8 months ago by Caren Catinella

5.0 out of 5 stars Sincere, sad story kept simple
Henry's story appeals to a wide variety of ages. I have read this to third graders who then wanted to read it themselves and borrow it. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Cheryll L. Nelson

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring book for my 6 year old grandson
My grandson, age 6, loves books and true stories. I bought this book for him, and after reading it the first time he had so many questions. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jasanda Watson

5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children
Henry, a sweet child born into slavery in the early 1800s, did not know his exact age but did know that he wanted freedom. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Yana V. Rodgers

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
The book is brand new and I received it during the expected delivery time. I am very pleased!
Published 19 months ago by Eileen Cruz

5.0 out of 5 stars Story finally being told
This is a story that all children should hear - enslaved people fought to be free in very unconventional ways. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Afrika A. Mills

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