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Henry's Freedom Box

by Ellen Levine, Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)

4.39 of 5 stars 4.39 · rating details · 4,537 ratings · 621 reviews

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.

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...more

Hardcover, 40 pages

Published January 1st 2007 by Scholastic Press

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Dec 14, 2012 Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone Wanting to Teach Children about Slavery; Fans of Picture Books with Beautiful Artwork

Recommended to Julie (Mom2lnb) by: Readers Against Prejudice & Racism

Shelves: childrens-non-fiction, desert-island-keepers, read-2011

Reviewed for THC Reviews
Henry's Freedom Box is a wonderful storybook for teaching younger children about slavery and the Underground Railroad. It is the true story of Henry “Box” Brown who mailed himself to freedom. Henry's bravery and ingenuity were inspiring to read about. It is very sad that Henry lost his entire family when they were sold and apparently was never reunited with them, but it seems that his pain may have been a driving force in his quest for freedom. He also became an internati...more

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Mar 22, 2009 Dolly rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: parents reading with their children

Shelves: 2011, childrens, historical-fiction, other-usa, favorites, caldecott-honor, biography, picture-book-club

This is an inspirational, amazing and true story, with breathtakingly detailed and expressive illustrations. It is certainly worthy of its Caldecott Honor designation. It's a story that will take you from joy to heartache and back again in a short narrative that will captivate young elementary school-age children. We read this as one of the February 2011 selections for the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books group here at Goodreads. I am so grateful to have been introduced to this story, a...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Gundula rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone, this is a story that needs to be told

Shelves: african-american-canadian, childrens-history-nonfiction, childrens-literature, picture-books, book-reviews

Henry's Freedom Box is a book that tugs at all of your emotions. It makes you angry, sad, despairing, happy. Above all, it should make any reasonable, any compassionate human being indignant at the inhumanity of slavery and strive for liberty, justice and equality for all. In fact, I think that Henry's Freedom Box should be required reading in every elementary school classroom, not only in the United States of America, but globally.

The fact that Henry Brown has basically no rights, that slaves...more Henry's Freedom Box is a book that tugs at all of your emotions. It makes you angry, sad, despairing, happy. Above all, it should make any reasonable, any compassionate human being indignant at the inhumanity of slavery and strive for liberty, justice and equality for all. In fact, I think that Henry's Freedom Box should be required reading in every elementary school classroom, not only in the United States of America, but globally.

The fact that Henry Brown has basically no rights, that slaves were considered merely property and could be sold as though they were furniture, horses, cows etc. is both mind-boggling and an assault on all that is decent. And that Henry would be willing to actually mail himself in a wooden crate to an area of the United States where there was no slavery, in spite of the extreme danger of this undertaking to both life and limb, shows how desperate Henry is, how inhumane, how cruel slavery and the concept of slavery was and is. I do like the fact that Henry was helped in his endeavour by not only his friend James, but also by Dr. Smith, a white man who was against slavery, although I did at times wonder why Dr. Smith did not offer to travel to Philadelphia with the box; it would have made Henry's trip both safer and more comfortable.

The illustrations by Kadir Nelson literally took my breath away. They are a wonderful complement to the story, to Ellen Levine's words, and really underline the cruelty of slavery, the despair that slavery and the inhumane actions of many of the slave owners had on those affected; one only has to look at Henry's sadness and his despair when he looses his family (not only once, but twice). I also like the fact that both the illustrations and the words manage to successfully convey the cruelty of slavery without the use of either overtly violent illustrations or words. The fact that the violent aspects of slavery are never overtly shown (although they are always implied, always lurking in the backgorund) makes Henry's Freedom Box suitable for both younger and older children.

I have to admit that I have a bit of a problem with Henry Brown being called a "runaway" slave. I know this is likely very much a personal dislike of the word, but whenever I hear or read the word "runaway" in conjunction with slave, it leaves a bit of a stigma and an air of negativity (as though Henry and other escaping slaves actually did something wrong, which in my mind is simply not the case, as they were escaping from situations, scenarios that were both morally and ethically criminal and inhumane). My GR friend Abigail calls Henry "Box" Brown an Abolitionist celebrity in her excellent review, and that is a much more fitting description in my opinion; one can even call Henry "Box" Brown an Abolitionist hero.

While I generally enjoyed the author's note and was happy that it was included, I do feel that Ellen Levine has not given us enough details. As I knew nothing about Henry "Box" Brown before reading this book, I would have appreciated more historical detail in the author's note, both about Henry's life as a slave, but especially about his life after freedom, his life in Philadelphia. More historical detail would have also been of great assistance to any teachers using Henry's Freedom Box in the classroom, as the story will undoubtedly engender both discussion and questions. But all-in-all, a wonderful, moving, and important picture book, a book that should be read by every child, and in my opinion, every adult as well.(less)

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Sep 26, 2009 Kathy Roderer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books

This true story of the time of the Underground Railroad would be a perfect companion to “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt,” a story about Harriet Tubman, or any of the books included in a unit on the Underground Railroad. The beautiful imagery and vivid descriptions make it a perfect read aloud. Freedom is compared to an autumn leaf, as Henry’s mother says, “Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind? They are torn from the trees like slave children are torn from their families.” This also for...more

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May 20, 2011 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: illustrated, childrens, history, north-america

All that is in my mind upon reading this story:

Then (March 23, 1849):

Illustration from Henry's Freedom Box
See Henry Box Brown's profile, Personal Narrative and the biography Unboxing of Henry Brown for more information about Brown's life story.

Now (May 17, 2010):

(AP Photo/Chiapas State Attorney General)
On May 17, 513 people are found shipping themselves upright in two trucks

Is there room for Hope?

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Mar 29, 2010 Erin Ramai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winning-and-honor-books, historical-fiction, picture-books, rated-and-reviewed, caldecott

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story of the Underground Railroad is appropriate for students in grades 2-5. It received a Caldecott Honor Award in 2008.

It might seem odd, but Kadir Nelson's illustrations for this book reminded me of Brian Selznick's work in The Invention of Hugo Cabret. More than anything, the quality that seems to connect these illustrators in my mind is the crosshatching that adds texture, depth and shadow to the images in both close ups and "wide shots" of the action. To me, Nel...more Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story of the Underground Railroad is appropriate for students in grades 2-5. It received a Caldecott Honor Award in 2008.

It might seem odd, but Kadir Nelson's illustrations for this book reminded me of Brian Selznick's work in The Invention of Hugo Cabret. More than anything, the quality that seems to connect these illustrators in my mind is the crosshatching that adds texture, depth and shadow to the images in both close ups and "wide shots" of the action. To me, Nelson's work is what Selznick's might look like if oil and watercolor were added. Although Nelson's art was inspired by a lithograph of Henry "Box" Brown and Selznick was inspired by early film, the two artists are stylistically inseparable for me.

The very first page of this text is captivating as one side of the spread is a wash of sepia tone with a small, tan textbox inset which reads, "Henry Brown wasn't sure how old he was. Henry was a slave. And slaves weren't allowed to know their birthdays." The directness of the words paired with the image of Henry on the following page is both captivating and haunting. Henry Brown seems to stare out at you, beckon you, with sad eyes, to read his story.

The true events of his life, like his eyes, are somber. As a boy, Henry thinks he will be set free when his master dies, but instead is given to his owner's son and separated from his family. One day in town he meets Nancy, and months later, he asks her to be his wife. They have three children. Henry never imagined he could be so happy, but Nancy worries that the children will be sold. Then Nancy's fears become reality--Henry watches as his wife and children disappear from his life, forever. Next, out of great melancholy comes great desire. Henry devises a plan to escape the bonds of slavery. He decides to mail himself to freedom, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This fateful journey earns him the name Henry "Box" Brown. He declares that his first day of freedom, March, 30, 1849 is his birthday.

For me, this book is a satisfying whole. The breathtaking illustrations take readers along on Henry's heroic journey to freedom and the text, while sparse and to the point includes critical and meaningful details. It could be utilized in a unit on the underground railroad.

The reason this text received a Caldecott Honor is clear. The combination of drawing, oil and watercolor displays “excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed.” Nelson picks up on the most critical elements of the text and at times his close-up illustrations force the reader to focus on details they might otherwise overlook. His “pictorial interpretation of the story” makes the reader sympathize with Henry “Box” Brown, and rejoice at his freedom. The style of the illustrations—realism—is appropriate to the story because the text is historical fiction. In much of Nelson’s work, the story is told through the illustrations and Henry’s Freedom Box is no exception. The illustrations, particularly the sequence where Henry enters the box and ships himself to freedom will help younger readers understand and appreciate this book. I also feel that because the story begins with Henry as a child and follows him through adulthood, child readers will empathize with his story.
(less)

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Nov 04, 2009 (NS) - Heather Hayman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This wonderful book, written by Ellen Levine, is the true story of Henry Brown, a slave who successfully escaped slavery by mailing himself in a packing crate. Brown has had a sad life, being taken from his mother as a child and seperated from his wife and child as an adult. The writer makes it easy for readers to experience his thoughts throughout his one day journey in the crate that is often left upside down or sideways. The story ends as he emerges from confinement and smiles upon his arriva...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Ashley Hilton added it

Henry's Freedom box is a very powerful book. It starts out with Henry as a child. He is with his mom and she is scared that he will be taken away from her. One day their slave owner told them that he is giving Henry to his son. Henry works in a tobacco place and they are mean to everyone there. Henry finds a girl and they fall in love and get married. They are so happy because they get to live together even though they have different owners. They have a few kids together. One day Henry went to w...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-literature

The genre of this book is historical fiction. The age range for this book is 8-10. This is an Caldecott Honor Book in 2008. This reading is baout a young boy name Henry who was a slave all his life who got freedom by shipping hisself to philadelphia. I rated this book 5 stras because this is a great way for young readers to find out baout their history. The plot of this story surrands a young boy ame Henry who was a slave, Henry first master was getting sick he was sold to the son of the master,...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Katelan Mccullum rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: african-american-book

Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine is such an empowering book! It is the heart wrenched story from a person who understands first-hand what it meant to be a slave. It hurts my heart to see how African Americans were treated in this country and this book just portrays a smidge of what life must have been like for them. They endured so many hardships and among these hardships was being ripped away from loved ones, just as Henry is torn from his family in this book. I found it inspiring that he ch...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, childrens, non-fiction

This review has spoilers but since it's a 40-page picture book, you will find out the ending of the book within 10 minutes of starting to read it anyway!

Henry's Freedom Box is the true story of Henry "Box" Brown, a man who escaped slavery by mailing himself to freedom.

While written for young children, this book doesn't sugar coat how horrible slavery was. The very first page tells us that Henry doesn't know when his birthday is because slaves weren't allowed to know their birthdays. However, it...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography-autobiog, social-issues, childrens-book, fictionalized-history

This beautiful picture book with minimal text begins, "Henry Brown wasn't sure how old he was. Henry was a slave. And slaves weren't allowed to know their birthdays." This story presents--in ways a young grade-school child might understand--some aspects of slavery: the traumatic separation of families, the personal sense of insecurity, and the resulting strong desire for freedom.

Henry "Box" Brown was an actual person, and this short book (a fictionalized history) covers the highlights of his lif...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Ashley Adams rated it 5 of 5 stars

1. Picture Book: Historical
2. This is a true account of a boy named Henry Brown, born into slavery, and seeks freedom in the most creative of ways. He is eventually torn from his family and sent to work in a warehouse, and endures the cycle of being bought and sold over and over into adulthood. One day he comes up with a brilliant idea, and he ships himself to freedom by mailing himself to the North in a crate.
3. Critique:
a. The ultimate reason this book is a treasure for any reader, and the re...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Stacey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Caldecott Honor Book (2008)
Genre – Historical picture book

Summary:
The book tells the story of a lifelong slave and the hardships he endured throughout life while striving for freedom.

A) Content
B) The content of this book does a decent job of portraying the hardships of life for slaves. It address the complex issues slaves faced when having a family and the very real likelihood of them being separated at some point during their lives. It showed how people of different races worked together in a...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Katie Spencer rated it 5 of 5 stars

A truly beautifully written and illustrated book that exposes the truths of slavery. This story is about how Henry, dreamed of a world where his life would be free. He grew up not knowing how old he was or even when his birthday was. When he was sold as a child to his master’s son, he was separated from his family. When he grew up, he married Nancy, with permission from each of their masters, and together they had a family. Unfortunately, Nancy and the children were sold at the slave market, and...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Brittany Hastings rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grade Level: 2nd
Lexile: 380
Main Character: Henry
Setting: Southern United States
POV: 3rd person
Genre: Multicultural Literature

-Summary: Henry is a boy who is trapped by a life of slavery. He does not have anyone to care for him, and he does not even know when his own birthday is. He longs for a life that he can live freely and not have to be anyone’s slave. As he grows up, he faces different troubles with racism and slavery and he strives to be able to make it to the north. Even after he is mar...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Cherry rated it 4 of 5 stars

This history picture book was great. Illustrations complimenting the story was quite caitavating when I read it myself. It was sad when Henry lost his family (twice) and to see how hard it was to endure the life as a slave and the pain he felt throughout his ife. Slavery was an issue back in the days and this children's book will help students understand or give them knowledge of how slaves were ill-treated among others, things were taken away and they were sold to serve and work for the ones wh...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Rachel Kenney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grade/interest level: Primary
Reading level: 380 Lexile
Genre: Biography/ Multicultural Literature
Main Characters: Henry
Setting: 19th Century Virginia
POV: Narrator

Henry is a little boy who does not know his age. He does not have a birthday, he is a slave. Henry worked on a tobacco farm his whole life. He grew to become a young man and got married to a woman who was also a salve. Henry and his wife have children together. His wife has a feeling that her and her children might get "sold" because...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Jacqueline Holton added it

Henry Freedom Box by Ellen Levine is a true sad story about a boy who grew up in slavery. He grew up and had a wife and children but he didn’t know his age because slave’s birthdays weren’t celebrated. Slave owners would sale them for money which broke up many families because they couldn’t find each other once sold. Henry’s wife and children were sold and Henry couldn’t take another day of not being free so he mailed himself in a big box to a friend where there were no slaves. I loved the illus...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Peyton Badger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Henry's Freedom Box is a historical fiction children's book. It follows the life of Henry, a slave, from childhood to adulthood. Henry stays with his master's son and works for him. He meets a girl, they fall in love, and with the permission of their owners, they were wed. Eventually they had a few children. Then the unthinkable happened, his family was sold at auction. They were taken away from him for forever. Henry was devastated when this happened because he would never see them again. With...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Kayla Krecklow rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read a lot of historical fiction books as a child, but didn't necessarily know that I was reading them, like the American Girl Doll books for example. Henry's Freedom Box is one of those books children will read and learn about history, but not necessarily know they're learning about it. There are some aspects of the book that may be confusing for children and that you might have to explain. Such as slavery, "owning" someone, or selling someone's children and wives. This book would be good to...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Henry's Freedom Box" is about a man named Henry Brown who is separated from his mother as a child and never knows how old he is because no one keeps track of slaves birthdays. He goes to work in his new master's tobacco factory and eventually meets and marries another slave who he has three children with.One unfortunate day his family is sold in the slave market. Henry then enlists the help of an abolitionist doctor and mails himself in a wooden crate "to a place where there are no slaves!"(the...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Karina Arroyo rated it 3 of 5 stars

I overall liked the story as it portrayed what slavery was like. I think that it was not as realistic as i would have liked but i think this was due to it being a book for children. I think this book is meant for children in like the fourth grade but i think in order for them to get the real understanding they would have to have background knowlege. Thus, maybe the book is more for children in the 5th or 6th grade. It is mainly about a child slave who grows up has a family and goes on to seek fr...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Haley Shade rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is hands down one of the most precious children’s books I have ever read. It shows children how much children their age who were slaves had to go through years ago. I think it can also teach young children such a good lesson about not taking the little things for granted. Such as knowing their birthday, or being with their mother and father because these are all things that salve children did not have very often. Not only does Henry’s Freedom Box teach them about what slave children did not...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Barbara added it · review of another edition

Henry's Freedom Box is about a young slave who is separated from his family to go work for his maters son. Henry meets a woman named Nancy, they marry and have children. Suddenly Henry's world is turned upside down and his family is sold in a slave auction. He was devastated and knew he needed to break free of slavery. He comes up with an idea to be put inside a box and sent somewhere. He gets help from a white man that disagrees with slavery and the plan is set. He will be sent to Philadelphia...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Hannah Edwards rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine is a children’s historical fiction picture book. Henry’s Freedom Box is a great book for young children to read so they can get a better understanding about what it was like to be a slave. This book is saddening but does not contain a lot of details of what went on with masters and their slaves that could potentially frighten children. The book focuses in on the fact that slaves do not even know their own birthdays, this is something all little kids can relate...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Andrea Ference rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Henry's Freedom Box recounts the true story of Henry Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. Thanks to Nelson's 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, wa...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Morgan Elliott rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: diversity-book

Henry's Freedom Box is an amazing true story about a boy growing up in slavery. This book would be great to read when discussing slavery and black history. Henry is an African American boy living on his master's farm as a child with his family. Before he was a teenager he was sold and sent to live with another master without his family. In this new environment he grew up working on a tobacco plantation, being careful not to make one mistake. Years past and he met his wife Nancy, and they had thr...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Brit rated it 5 of 5 stars

Henry's Freedom Box is a picture book about a young boy in slavery with his family. The book overall is a sad story with a happy ending, though I did find myself confused at one point in the book when Henry's wife and children were sold and taken away. Henry was sad and wanted to reach freedom, and did so, but I think it was difficult to deal with him not trying or ever seeing his family again. Children may have a hard time understanding that part and wondering what happened to them. Besides tha...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Marcie Gottlieb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Levine, Ellen (2007) Henry’s Freedom Box, New York City: Scholastic Press
Target Audience: K-3

This Caldecott Honor Book tells the story of Henry “Box” Brown whose burning intention to escape slavery led him to take an extraordinary risk, with the help of compassionate and courageous people, to gain his freedom. The wonderfully illustrated and beautifully told story explains how Henry was taken from his parents and siblings to work in...more

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About Ellen Levine

Ellen Levine's books have won many awards and honors, including the Jane Addams Peace Award. Although she enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction, most of Ellen's books for young readers have been nonfiction. "Writing nonfiction lets me in behind the scenes of the story. I enjoy learning new things and meeting new people, even if they lived 200 years ago."

Ellen Levine was born in New York City...more

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