Henry's Freedom Box, Levine & Nelson / Historical Fiction

Title: Henry's Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine
Illustrators: Kadir Nelson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor (2008), Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award for Grades 3-6 (2010), Comstock Read Aloud Honor Book (2008)
Ages: 2nd grade and up

Summary:
Henry was a slave. He dreamed for a very long time of being a free man. He worked very hard as a slave and grew up big and strong. He married and started a family while he was still a slave. Unfortunately, that meant his family could be sold without his permission. Henry had to do something. He stole a crate from where he worked and came up with a plan. Henry was going to mail himself to the North so he could be a free man. 

Illustrations:
The paintings by Nelson in this book are breathtaking. The illustrations truly capture the mood of the book. The illustrations portray Henry as a strapping young man and reflect the hardships he endured true to life. 

In the classroom:
This is an inspiring and captivating tale of a man's desperation for freedom and justice. I think readers of all ages will enjoy reading about Henry's life. This book is full of hope and readers should be exposed to the hardships of this history so they can be better informed.