Henrys freedom box is based off the true story of henry box brown who mailed himself to freedom. Comprehension focus make connections between text and illustrations the text and the illustrations in henrys freedom box complement each other and tell not just henrys story but the story of all. Feb 22, 2009 honestly, i never thought hugo should have woneven though it has awesome illustrations. Henrys freedom box ellen levine narrators 17, master, nancy, henry, james, dr. This is especially relevant as henry continues to fight against slavery, escaping his master, and his eventual journey to assisting others to follow suit. I recommend henrys freedom box to both children and parents, and ill definitely be acquiring a copy for my own keeper shelf.
Biography and autobiography, slavery, underground railroad, abolition, determination and perseverance. This book was written by ellen levine and was beautifully illustrated by kadir nelson. A true story of the underground railroad is appropriate for students in grades 25. Drawing from an actual historical account, ellen levine details some of the hardships. Levine freedom s children recounts the true story of henry brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. A fence away from freedom details the internment of japanese americans in the 1940s. His desire to escape from slavery led to a very creative attempt, which. It also emphasizes on the illustrations and language used in this astonishing picture book.
When his family is sold away from him, he risks everything to do what he knows is right. Henrys freedom box is based on the true story of henry browns creative and courageous journey to freedom. Thanks to nelsons ellington was not a street penetrating portraits, readers will feel as if they can experience henrys thoughts and feelings as he matures through unthinkable adversity. Create marketing content that resonates with prezi video. The illustrations are heartwrenching and shows how desperate people were to escape slavery. Henrys freedom box by ellen levine and kadir nelson. Initially i was going to demonstrate this strategy using the picture book henrys freedom box, but i decided to use a harder level picture book with more words per page, denser plot, and a longer story. Initially i was going to demonstrate this strategy using the picture book henry s freedom box, but i decided to use a harder level picture book with more words per page, denser plot, and a longer story. Smith, mother, passenger 1, passenger 2, william still, railroad workers all. Henry traveled 350 miles in a large box, sometimes upside down and.
The illustrations were beautiful and i was not expecting the freedom box to be what is was. Henrys freedom box in about a boy who grows up in a culture and environment of slavery. A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a jane addams peace awardwinning author and a coretta scott king awardwinning artist. Nelson won a 2008 caldecott honor for henry s freedom box, written by ellen levine. Henrys freedom box is the story of a slave boy named henry box brown. Henry is put to work in a tobacco warehouse and all his life dreams about freedom and wishes he could know how old he is. Henrys freedom box a true story of the underground railroad written by. Edit the description on the pin to tell how the resource could be used. Drawing from an actual historical account, ellen levine details some of the hardships and heartbreaks of slavery, and the creative resiliency of henry box brown, a man who mailed himself to freedom. Pdf henry s freedom box download full pdf book download. The text and the illustrations in henrys freedom box complement each other and tell not just henrys story but the story of all slaves.
Henry dreams of a world where his life belongs to him. It also emphasizes on the illustrations and language used in. Henry box brown a true story from the underground railroad illustrated by kadir nelson, written by ellen levine. If you made a mistake, the boss would beat you 9 and henry brown wasnt sure how old he was. Henrys freedom box a caldecott honor is the true story of a slave who mailed himself to freedom. Henry s journey is long and uncomfortable, but he finally makes it to his destination. Henry and his brothers and sisters worked in the big house where themaster lived.
Sold away from his family as a child, henry brown did what many slaves had to do. Henrys freedom box pslv childrens literature resource site. The book was published in 2007 and a decade later this childrens book still conveys a message more relevant than ever. 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. A true story from the underground railroad hardcover january 1, 2007. They place henry in the box and send him to a friend of the white man in the north. This riveting account is based on the true story of henry brown, a slave who literally mailed himself to freedom. He decides with the help of a white man and another slave that he is going to mail himself to freedom. In this stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom, nelson combined his own style of painting with a crosshatched style of illustration he found used in a historical lithograph from 1850 that documented henrys arrival to philadelphia. Close your eyes if you will and imagine what it would be like to curl up in a box and ship yourself as cargo. Reading the story read the story aloud, stopping when appropriate to explore illustrations, address student comments, clarify, predict, and guide their understanding of the story and the values to pursue justice. When i think of a caldecott, i think of a book like this one, a short picture book.
In just two pages, the artist convincingly conveys the painful and risktaking trip of mr. Henrys freedom box a true story from the underground railroad. A fictionalized account of how in 1849 a virginia slave, henry box brown, escapes to freedom by shipping himself in a wooden crate from richmond to philadelphia. No more slave work for henry box brown, in the box by express he did go, in the box by express he did go. Henrys freedom box by ellen levine unleashing readers. Encourage them to make connections between the words in the text and the pictures and colors in the illustrations. They actually have similar illustration styles, except that henrys freedom box is in color. The fact that henry was torn away from his family also gives the story a very sad tone. His illustrations combined with ellen levines words to create an amazing book that became a caldecott honor book as well as winning numerous other awards and accolades. May 17, 2017 the illustrations ranging from the first page, a portrait of a young boy with no joy on his face, to last, adult henry climbing out of the wooden box into a room of people welcoming him to freedom, depict this transformation of social identity. Henrys freedom box book midcontinent public library.
All the time he dreams about freedom, but that dream seems farther away than ever when he is torn from his family and put to work in a warehouse. Henry, heartbroken after separation from his family, decides to escape by climbing inside a box and mailing himself to freedom. I needed to show kids that sometimes these answers are hidden in the text and do not jump out at you, but rather you as a reader have to read. Henrys freedom box book east lansing public library. Kadir nelson illustrated two caldecott honor books. Henrys freedom box teaches to pursue justice and freedom.
In this stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom, nelson combined his own style of painting with a crosshatched style of illustration he found used in a historical lithograph from 1850 that documented henry s arrival to philadelphia. But when his family is sold, he risks everything for what he knows is right. Later, there is no way to overlook the tragic reality that he never saw them again. They actually have similar illustration styles, except that henrys. This caldecott honor book gives students the opportunity to make connections between the text and the illustrations in this powerful true story. Black history month activitiesupdated with vocabulary, word search, problem and solution graphic organizer. It also poignantly presents the heartwrenching sorrow of families torn apart, and the powerlessness of the enslaved. Awardwinning illustrator kadir nelson creates such realistic intimacy with his muted but intense illustrations of former virginia slave henry box brown. Ellen levine, author, kadir nelson, illustrator, illus. His desire to escape from slavery led to a very creative attempt, which could have failed at any moment.
Levine freedoms children recounts the true story of henry brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. A true story from the underground railroad by illustrated by kadir nelson, written by ellen levine scholastic press, an imprint of scholastic inspired by an antique lithograph, kadir nelson has created dramatically luminous illustrations that portray henry box browns ingenious design to ship himself in a box from. The illustrations were beautiful and i was not expecting the freedom box to be what is. Aug 12, 2016 each 3336 course member should pin one resource that could be used in conjunction with this book. Honestly, i never thought hugo should have woneven though it has awesome illustrations. When his family is sold and taken away from him, henry makes a daring move and ships himself in a box to the north where he can finally be free. Nelson won a 2008 caldecott honor for henrys freedom box, written by ellen levine.
Help students understand how to read an illustration for its mood and meaning and how to integrate it with the text. When henry grows up and marries, he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Dramatic illustrations show what young henry endured during his grueling trip to pennsylvania. It might seem odd, but kadir nelsons illustrations for this book reminded me of brian selznicks work in the invention of hugo cabret. Artist kadir nelsons illustrations of pride and soul duration. Kadir nelson scholastic press, january 2007, historical fiction suitable for ages. Feb 07, 2017 henry s freedom box is based on the true story of henry brown s creative and courageous journey to freedom. Preschool 3 henrys freedom box is a historical nonfiction childrens picture book that tells the story of henry box brown escaping slavery by mailing himself to freedom. Feb 10, 2017 henrys freedom box is a historical nonfiction childrens picture book that tells the story of henry box brown escaping slavery by mailing himself to freedom. When henrys family was sold down the river there is a poignant, wrenching illustration.
The colors used in the illustrations are warm, mostly dark, and some are illuminated by a backlight from a natural source. I thought this book told henrys heartbreaking but inspiring story in a great way. Kadir nelson henry brown wasnt sure how old he was. Henrys freedom box picture book santa clara county. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. For one brave salve, henry brown, this became his way to escape to freedom. Henry dreams of freedom from slavery and injustice. With the strength and conviction of the best kind of hero, henry makes a harrowing journey in a wooden crate and mails h. Take a picture walk see appendix of the book henrys freedom box, and ask students to determine what henrys brilliant idea was. I was awestruck with how realistic and emotional the pictures are.
Ellington was not a street by ntozake shange won the coretta scott king award. Dec 03, 2018 the illustrations are heartwrenching and shows how desperate people were to escape slavery. This book would be perfect for a unit on the undergroun. Henrys freedom box is a caldecott honor book by ellen levine along with illustrations by kadir nelson and it is about a runaway slave named henry box brown who thinks of a clever plan to get out of slavery after his family is sold.
Stunning illustrations tell the historical account of henry, a runaway slave who mailed himself 350 miles in a box to freedom from richmond, va, to philadelphia, pa. Inspirational in its simplicity, henry s freedom box tells a moving story of one individual s strength of spirit. Henry can take it no longer, he comes up with a plan. Henry s freedom box is the story of a slave boy named henry box brown. Darkness over denmark details the rescue of jews by the danes in world war ii. Henrys freedom box is the poignant, harrowing and true story of henry brown, an african american slave, who in the midnineteenth century escaped slavery by mailing himself to freedom. Will smiths just the two of us won an naacp image award, and his new book, we are the ship continues to garner major awards. The illustrations ranging from the first page, a portrait of a young boy with no joy on his face, to last, adult henry climbing out of the wooden box into a room of people welcoming him to freedom, depict this transformation of social identity. Nov 29, 2014 when henry s family was sold down the river there is a poignant, wrenching illustration. See more ideas about henrys freedom box, freedom and underground railroad. Henrys freedom box is a historical nonfiction childrens picture book that tells the story of henry box brown escaping slavery by mailing himself to freedom.
817 526 881 698 1317 1198 1097 301 529 209 1517 821 182 949 708 242 947 778 1090 548 149 625 1344 212 448 27 1070 1307 1187 962 921 110