Henry's Freedom Box

by Ellen Levine Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

2008 Caldecott Honor Book

Watch Ellen Levine read from Henry's Freedom Box.

Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. Nobody keeps records of slaves' birthdays. 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 grows up and marries, but he is again devastated when his family is sold at the slave market. Then one day, as he lifts a crate at the warehouse, he knows exactly what he must do: He will mail himself to the North. After an arduous journey in the crate, Henry finally has a birthday — his first day of freedom

A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist.

* "Nelson's powerful portraits add a majestic element to Levine's history-based tale...sonorous prose that makes a perfect match for the art, this is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved..." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "...it's the dramatic artwork that brings this emphatically to life." — Booklist, starred review

Ages: 8, 9, 10
Interest Level: Grades 3 - 5
Grade Level Equivalent: 1.9
Lexile Measure: 380L
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Number of Pages: 40
Genre: Biography and Autobiography, Multicultural

About the Author and Illustrator

Ellen Levine Ellen Levine is a children's author of non-fiction books that expose kids to the behind-the-scenes experience of historical events.

Kadir Nelson Kadir Nelson is a critically acclaimed artist and illustrator. His children's book awards include the Coretta Scott King Award and the NAACP Image Award.