Children's+Book+Review

=Children's Book Review =

Introduction: · Title: //Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad// · Author: Ellen Levine · Illustrator: Kadir Nelson · Publisher: Scholastic Press · Copyright Date: 2007

What is the book about? //Henry’s Freedom Box// is about Henry Brown, a real slave, who mailed himself to freedom. Henry was born into slavery and, after his master becomes ill, is sold to his master’s son who owns a tobacco warehouse. As an adult, Henry meets an enslaved woman who he eventually marries, with the permission of their owners, and has children with. Henry and his wife become frightened that her owner may sell their children due to economic hardships. While at work one day, Henry learns that his wife and children were sold at the slave market. He rushes into town, but it is too late. Henry becomes depressed and decides he wants to be free. He seals himself up in a box and mails himself to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he arrives into freedom.

What are the related subject areas, content concepts, or vocabulary found in the book? This book is related to the subjects of history and geography. The concept of slavery can be taught. With the concept of slavery, the vocabulary terms Underground Railroad, slaves, and masters, which are all found in the text, can be taught. In addition to these terms, the words abolitionists, free/Northern states, slavery/Southern states, stations, conductors, and station masters can also be taught.

What NCSS themes and Pennsylvania social studies standards does it cover? //Henry’s Freedom Box// covers the NSCC themes of: · Culture · Time, continuity, and change · Power, authority, and governance · People, places and environments

The Pennsylvania standards addressed are: · 8.1.5.B Classify and analyze fact and opinion from multiple points of view, and secondary sources as related to historical events. · 8.3.5.C Differentiate how continuity and change in U.S. history are formed and operate. · 8.3.5.D Examine patterns of conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations that impacted the history and development of the United States.

Which grade level is it appropriate for? As an independent text, //Henry’s Freedom Box// is appropriate for 4th – 5th grade, but as a read aloud book, it is appropriate for 3rd – 4th grade.

What is your suggested method to use this book in the classroom? This book can be used as engagement or as an anticipatory set in a lesson for younger students. The teacher can read the book to a whole group and discuss the information in the text. The information discussed should be about Henry “Box” Brown, the Underground Railroad, and the free and slave states. For older students, they can read the book individually or in small groups and report their findings to their classmates. Each group could read about a different slave that made history. The book can also be part of a unit that consists of people who escaped from slavery and those people who helped the slaves escape. Other aspects of the Underground Railroad can be discussed as well, such as how people escaped, the hardships people faced, the risk that was involved, and the routes people took to escape to freedom.