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Jefferson's Sons

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 1,116 ratings · 294 reviews

The untold story of Thomas Jefferson's slave children
Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston are Thomas Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, and while they do get special treatment - better work, better shoes, even violin lessons - they are still slaves, and are never to mention who their father is. The lighter-skinned children have been promised a chanc...more

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published September 15th 2011 by Dial (first published September 13th 2011)

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Nov 18, 2011 babyhippoface rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, kids-fiction

Can a person be great and still participate in evil?

This question lives at the heart of Jefferson's Sons, a fictionalized account of the lives of Thomas Jefferson's children by his slave, Sally Hemings. From the captivating cover art to the last devastating line, this book is engaging and thought-provoking.

Beverly, Harriet, Maddy, & Eston Hemings will be freed when they reach the age of 21. Master Jefferson has promised their mother this. For now, they are well taken care of; they do not w...more Can a person be great and still participate in evil?

This question lives at the heart of Jefferson's Sons, a fictionalized account of the lives of Thomas Jefferson's children by his slave, Sally Hemings. From the captivating cover art to the last devastating line, this book is engaging and thought-provoking.

Beverly, Harriet, Maddy, & Eston Hemings will be freed when they reach the age of 21. Master Jefferson has promised their mother this. For now, they are well taken care of; they do not work as hard as the other slaves as Monticello and they receive privileges, as well.

Beverly, the oldest son, wants so badly to have a relationship with the man he longs to call "Papa" but is forced to refer to as "Master Jefferson". The older he gets, the more Beverly knows that can never happen. Because he is light-skinned, when he is freed, he and his sister Harriet will leave Monticello to become a part of white society, and no one can ever know the truth of their paternity. Eston, the youngest, is the spitting image of Jefferson and poses the biggest threat of exposure when visitors come to Monticello. He, too, knows he will leave Monticello forever when he is freed.

Middle son James Madison (Maddy, for short) knows that when is freed, he will stay with his mother because, of all Sally's children, he alone is too dark-skinned to pass for white. It is his painful reality that once they leave Monticello, he will never see his siblings again.

Peter Fossett is a slave born at Monticello, son of the great-house cook and the blacksmith. Peter believes himself to be the luckiest boy in the world to live his happy life at Monticello. He is too young to work hard, but he is still helpful, and he gets to run and play on the mountaintop. From there, he can see the whole world, it seems.

For all the beauty in these children's lives (and there is beauty, be sure), they are still slaves. Their lives are not their own. Master Jefferson lives grandly. He is generous to the stream of guests that come to Monticello to see the president, and money is running out. They tell themselves that as long as Master Jefferson lives, they know they will be treated just fine. Yes, but what of when he dies? What then?

And what are we to think of Master Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, champion of freedom, slaveholder? Can a person be great and still participate in evil? In each boy's thoughts and actions we see both respect for the man and great disdain. How could he sell people? It is interesting to note that none of the boys seems to respect Jefferson because he is a "great man", for his role in government, for his writings, or his stand for freedom. They respect him because he is their Master and respect is their role. Can a person be great and still participate in evil? The answer is not an easy one.

I don't know many elementary students who would pick this book off the shelf and choose to check it out. It does not have that kind of appeal to our students. They barely know who Thomas Jefferson was, after all. But they need to read this. It is a powerful reminder of man's ability to think of ourselves as good people and yet be completely inhumane to others. This book belongs in upper elementary and middle school social studies classrooms. It needs to be read, to be studied, to be debated, to be a voice from the past that urges us to become catalysts for change, kindness, and compassion. (less)

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Jan 03, 2012 The Library Lady rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-fiction, historical_fiction

I live in Northern Virginia. Have been to Monticello a number of times--it's only about 2 hours from here. Have read lots of books on Jefferson. Have known the Hemmings story for years and have read Wolf By the Ears, another version of the story as seen through Harriet Hemings' eyes.

Bradley is a fine writer of historical fiction. Both of my daughters and I loved her The President's Daughter about young Ethel Roosevelt.

So I was eager to read this, and yet I finished it disappointed and had no int...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Jean rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile, af-am

One definitely could not introduce this book to young readers without first giving them other lessons on the era of slavery. By this I mean, solidly grounded factually based information of the times. Although I enjoyed Bradley's story line, the voices and thought processes of the characters did not ring true for that era.
Many times throughout the book, I found myself thinking,"He would not have said this or she would not think along those lines during the 1800s. I needed to keep reminding myself...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
15 years ago, I began to read biographies of the presidents. I wanted to know what leadership meant.

I think I had always loved Jefferson best. It might have been from when I was 5 years old and visited Washington D.C.on our way to Massachusetts. The jefferson memorial was by far the most beautiful. And Jefferson, was young, and yet the older men asked him to write the Declaration of Independence. He loved books. He was a a scientist, a naturalist who make the Louisiana Purchase happen and made i...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this on audio book. It was a bit slow going at times but allowed for getting the real feel of this time in history and a caring sense of the characters. It is mostly narrated from the son's perspective with interacting dialogue. This story is not dressed up to point one's emotions one way or the other, but is simple true storytelling of growing up at Monticello. My most poignant moment in this listening experience was being brought to tears with utter humiliation when many of Jeffe...more I listened to this on audio book. It was a bit slow going at times but allowed for getting the real feel of this time in history and a caring sense of the characters. It is mostly narrated from the son's perspective with interacting dialogue. This story is not dressed up to point one's emotions one way or the other, but is simple true storytelling of growing up at Monticello. My most poignant moment in this listening experience was being brought to tears with utter humiliation when many of Jefferson's slaves (whom I had gotten to know) were put on the auction block after he died. I don't think I have ever felt my horror of slavery in such an intense personal way before. Most of the book is about life at Monticello and the historical accuracy of this story is truly awesome. I looked it up after reading. I really think it should be put on required reading lists in the educational system. I also looked up some information about the sons and daughter of Sally Hemings. There wasn't much that I could find, but there was an interview with one of the sons (Madison) and my hat is off to Kimberly Bradley for doing such an amazing job of blending storytelling with true history. It seems that Jefferson was in a great deal of debt when he died. It seems very strange that while Jefferson did free 5 men (sons/grandsons) upon death, he did not free Sally Hemings. However, his daughter, Martha,(Sally was her handmaid) gave Sally "her time" after his death which allowed her to remain in VA unofficially free. The sons and daughters pretty much lost track of each other due to earlier escape of some and the story goes that they were living up north "passing." They could not put their children at risk by letting anyone know, but did put together what money they could to have as many of the slaves as possible put on the auction block bought (to be set free) by a white man. Interesting fact: Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4th, 1826 within hours of each other. I highly recommend getting this audio book from the library. At the very least take a look at www.monticello.org, though it won't be as good as the book.(less)

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Nov 02, 2012 Melanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-literature, historical-fiction, slavery, slaves, thomas-jefferson, sally-hemings, brothers-sisters, siblings, mothers-daughters, mothers-sons, parent-child, virginia, monticello, african-americans, multicultural, violin, music, secrets

Everyone knows (or should know) who Thomas Jefferson was. But do you know who Sally Hemings is? Or Beverly, Harriet, Madison and Eston Hemings?

Sally Hemings was a slave. She belonged to Thomas Jefferson. Beverly, Harriet, Madison and Eston are her children, fathered by Mr. Jefferson. History has finally owned up about this fact enough to write a children's book about it.

Jefferson's sons is the story of Jefferson's children with his slave Sally. Particularly the boys. It tells the imagined tale o...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Patricia Hruby Powell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered about the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings? Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s book of historic fiction, “Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children” (Dial 2011) is the most insightful account of slavery and life at “Master” Jefferson’s estate, Monticello, that I’ve yet to encounter.
The story is told in the voice of the first son, Beverly, changes to the second son Madison and then moves to another slave, Peter. It tells the story of...more Have you ever wondered about the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings? Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s book of historic fiction, “Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children” (Dial 2011) is the most insightful account of slavery and life at “Master” Jefferson’s estate, Monticello, that I’ve yet to encounter.
The story is told in the voice of the first son, Beverly, changes to the second son Madison and then moves to another slave, Peter. It tells the story of Master Jefferson living in the big house and Mama (Sally Hemings) and their children who live in the choice slave quarter, Mulberry Row.
Sally Hemings gets the best for her children and she assures them (and us, the reader) that this is not altogether slavery. Slavery is a runaway slave being whipped once he’s caught. Mama makes her young children watch such a whipping so they understand the privilege under which they live.
Are the children recognized as the Master’s children? In ways. Jefferson gives the oldest son, Beverly, a violin to play and each of the boys learns to play it. Two of them are good players, and in time there will be another violin. But for the most part, the children are an embarrassing secret—a secret that everyone on the plantation knows, yet it is unspoken. These are Jefferson’s invisible children.
Mama is promised freedom for her children when they each turn 21. Three are so fair-skinned, they plan to “pass” or enter into white society. What does one have to do in order to pass? Give up one’s past entirely. Keep the secret of who they are and absolutely never tell a soul, never look back, and never visit their people who are black slaves.
Mama pushes her children who can “pass” to observe, learn, and enact the manners of white society. It’s essential for their future lives and for keeping their secret.
What does it mean that Thomas Jefferson famously wrote, in the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal.” Yet he keeps slaves. Every night Mama beds with the master, yet she is his slave.
If the 360-page book is daunting, listen to Adenrele Ojo’s exquisite reading [Listening Library].
Find out more at http://www.monticello.org/ where the author did a good deal of her research. At the end she describes how she used this resource, what is fact, what is her speculation.

Patricia Hruby Powell (www.talesforallages.com) is a nationally touring speaker, dancer, storyteller, librarian and children’s book author. You can enter a discussion or see the book covers on her blog at www.talesforallages.com/reviews/
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May 28, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: civil-rights, community, cultural-identity, families, literacy, reading, social-studies, nbgs, nbgs2012

Well-researched historical fiction always appeals to me, and when the story being told revolves around one of our nation's founding fathers, so much the better since it allows me to learn more about that famous person. In the case of this book, the distance, dissonance, and dishonesty between Thomas Jefferson's written words in the Declaration of Independence, and his own actions in keeping slaves and hiding the identities of four of his children, are made abundantly clear. Jefferson and his sla...more Well-researched historical fiction always appeals to me, and when the story being told revolves around one of our nation's founding fathers, so much the better since it allows me to learn more about that famous person. In the case of this book, the distance, dissonance, and dishonesty between Thomas Jefferson's written words in the Declaration of Independence, and his own actions in keeping slaves and hiding the identities of four of his children, are made abundantly clear. Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings, who was one-eighth black, had four children living on his Monticello plantation, Beverly, Harriet, Maddie, and Eston, but they lived in the slave quarters, but their existence was an open secret not shared with the outside world or even the rest of Jefferson's family. The story is told from the points of view of Beverly and Maddie, and then from Peter, a friend of the Hemings family. While their mother made sure that the children could never be whipped as the other slaves might be and that they would be freed when they turned 21, the lightness or darkness of their skins will determine whether they can pass for white in society. When Ellen, one of Jefferson's granddaughters teaches Maddie to read, a skill needed in the world they will try to live in, he teaches his siblings as well. Covering the last 20 years of Jefferson's life, the story is complicated and troubling on many levels. While there is clearly affection between Thomas and Sallie, he never has the courage to free her while he is alive, and they never live openly as a couple. Clearly, Jefferson was a product of his times, and acted accordingly, but readers will wonder that he paid so little attention to these offspring or tried to explain his own choices. After I finished reading this book, I kept thinking about the lives of Jefferson's children once they had grown up, unable to stay in touch with the family members they left behind, carrying their secrets to the grave. This book is highly recommended reading. (less)

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Apr 24, 2012 Michelle Rocha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: boys-club, historical-fiction, history, relationships

Wonderful treatment of the subject of Sally Hemings' children growing up on Monticello. Told from the children's point of view, the reader sees the characters gradually understand the injustice of slavery. It's heartbreaking to see them come to the realization that they are not carefree children living on a wonderful farm with a benevolent guardian, but that they are in fact slaves. Thomas Jefferson's character is presented as a contradiction. On the one hand, he is the idealist who helped dream...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Afton Nelson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile

Can a man be both good and bad? Can he be both brilliant and foolish? Can he write things like, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," and own 130 human beings? Evidently, he can. Thomas Jefferson was a man of contradictions. He was extremely generous with perfect strangers, yet could not, or would not acknowledge the children he had with his slave Sally Hemmings.

One of the things I realize about this part of history, is that it needs to be examined through a...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 12-14 yr old

Recommended to Beverly by: indiebound.org/nextlist

Shelves: outstanding-young-adult-books, good-reads-for-reluctant-readers

Jefferson's Sons was an enthralling and emotional read. An historical accounting of President Jefferson's secret black family told from the point of view of his black children. Although it is historical fiction, it is extremely accurate and very thoroughly researched. Much of the story is based on the letters and journals written by Jefferson's plantation overseer and by the second of his three black sons. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley does not romanticize the relationship. The reader experiences th...more

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Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Beverly knows a secret and it’s a big one. It’s really hard not to tell it but he has promised his mama he’ll keep his mouth shut. And Beverly is good at that - keeping his mouth shut - all slaves are good at that. It helps them stay out of trouble.

The secret word rolls around in Beverly’s head though. “Papa.” Even though his Dad is really busy and is gone a lot Beverly lives for when he is around, even though his Dad doesn’t really talk to him much. Beverly can’t call him “Papa” to his face or...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Lark rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was for kids. It was interesting to see all current facts used in working out what happened. Good use of available information - what plantation looked like, homes, clothing, laws of the time, Jefferson's coming and goings and his white families movements. It seems most likely that Jefferson had children with Sally Hemmings.

Unfortunately, since there was not a shred of personal documentation, NONE of the emotions or 'conversations' are in any way believable. She's just guessing. And n...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grades 5-9
Third U.S. President Thomas Jefferson lived at the plantation Monticello and kept slaves to work in his fields, farm and home. One of his slaves was a woman named Sally Hemings, mother to four of Jefferson's children - Beverly, Harriet, Maddy, and Eston. Though slaves, the children and their mother were given special treatment by Jefferson because of his discreet relationship to them - but nevertheless, slaves they remained.

Master Jefferson promises freedom to all four of his slave ch...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Told from three points of view, the story begins with Beverly, the son of slave Sally Hemmings whose father happens to be Thomas Jefferson. He can’t understand why his father, Jefferson, won’t treat him like a son or why a great man like him would write “all men created equal” yet own his own children as property. Jefferson gives Beverly violin lessons and shows some interest but he never calls him son and he pays more attention to his nieces and nephews. Beverly desperately wants a relationship...more Told from three points of view, the story begins with Beverly, the son of slave Sally Hemmings whose father happens to be Thomas Jefferson. He can’t understand why his father, Jefferson, won’t treat him like a son or why a great man like him would write “all men created equal” yet own his own children as property. Jefferson gives Beverly violin lessons and shows some interest but he never calls him son and he pays more attention to his nieces and nephews. Beverly desperately wants a relationship with his father but it will never happen. Maddy, another son of Sally and Jefferson, tells part two of the story. Maddy is angry with Jefferson and doesn’t even think of him as a father. Just when Jefferson seems like a nice man and gives Maddy some extra attention, he turns around and sells Maddy’s best friend, James, to another owner. Heartbroken, Maddy can’t understand how Jefferson could not see the evil in his actions. The third person, Peter Fossett, is a slave and close friend of the Hemings. Maddy looks out for him because he promised James he’d do so after James was sold to another family. Peter thinks life on Monticello is wonderful until he too realizes what is means to be a slave. A powerful ending.

This story is full of information and it is obvious the author spent many years researching it. It is a strength and weakness. The characters tell so much information that it reads at times like an expository text and not a fiction story. The dialogue in which two characters have a casual conversation ends up being a speech on slavery. I thought it slowed the story’s pace. I did think it was interesting how three of Jeffersons’ four slave children planned on passing as white people once they were free. Maddy’s skin is not light enough so he will not be able to live with white people after he is free. Beverly is torn about this and struggles with his decision to enter white society.

The children are illegitimate but because it is told from a child’s point of view it remains innocent. There is a whipping of a runaway slave that might upset some readers. The interesting thing about this book is that the author shows how intolerable slavery is and how a founding father, Jefferson, considered a brilliant and good man, just didn’t see how destructive and evil slavery was to families.
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Feb 05, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: schoolage-family, schoolage-boy, schoolage-friendship, schoolage-historical-fiction, schoolage-african-american, teen-historical-fiction, teen-family, teen-african-american, tween, tween-boy, tween-family, tween-historical-fiction

Inspired by the premise, accepted by most historians, that Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemmings, a woman he kept as a slave, Brubaker Bradley imagines the lives, relationships and feelings of the two eldest sons, Beverly and Madison, and their friends. How much interaction would the children have had with their father, and how would they have felt about his pampered white grandchildren who called Monticello home? While there are 2 specific instances of physical violence to slav...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s

What an excellent way for young people to get a sense of slavery and of the inconsistency of the author of the Declaration of Independence (Thomas Jefferson) owning his own children as slaves! The 4 surviving children from TJ and Sally Hemings (his slave and his wife's half sister) were legally white at that time (7/8 white) and yet were kept as slaves. They suffered far less than field slaves, learning a tarde (Beverly learned woodworking for example), learning to read and write (so that the li...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Karen Yingling added it

Beverly has a secret that everyone knows-- he's Thomas Jefferson's son. His mother, Sally Hemmings, tells him to keep it from Jefferson's family and friends even though the slave community is well aware of Beverly and his brothers' and sister's origin. From the time he is young, Beverly knows that he will have to make a choice when he is older. He can remain a slave and stay with his family (all of whom are well-treated because of their connection), or he can move away and pass as a free white m...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Homewood Public Library rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Most people know Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the founding fathers. But there is a lot more to Thomas Jefferson than was covered in your American History class. In Jefferson’s Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, the reader learns about the last twenty years of Jefferson’s epic life. Told through the eyes of three young slave boys, Beverly, Madison (Maddy), and Peter Fossett, you learn of the scandalous and not...more Most people know Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States, author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the founding fathers. But there is a lot more to Thomas Jefferson than was covered in your American History class. In Jefferson’s Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, the reader learns about the last twenty years of Jefferson’s epic life. Told through the eyes of three young slave boys, Beverly, Madison (Maddy), and Peter Fossett, you learn of the scandalous and not so secret life of Thomas Jefferson.
Beverly and Madison are definitely not ordinary. Though they are slaves, they are keeping a big secret, which everyone knows about. They work at Monticello, but both are troubled by the daunting secret that their master and owner, Thomas Jefferson, is their father. The novel raises the question of how can the man who wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” not only own slaves, but also let his children be slaves?
Sally Hemings, Beverly and Madison’s mother, has been a topic of controversy for over two centuries. Bradley portrays her as a woman determined to see her children free above anything else. I have always been fascinated by the story of Sally Hemings, so I was quick to grab this new Young Adult book. Each perspective is different and each will cause you to feel a range of emotions. Maybe it is the fact that each character starts out as a young child with naïve eyes and as they grow both the character and the reader are exposed to the hypocrisies of the situation. It would have been interesting if Bradley chose to represent the character of Harriet, Jefferson and Hemings’ daughter, and her perspective on the situation at Monticello. The last character portrayed in Peter Fossett, who is another young slave boy. Peter’s situation tells of the aftermath after Jefferson’s death. The last scene is harrowing and you cannot help but feel distraught at the entire situation.
Bradley provides additional research information for anyone who wishes to research more about the Hemings and Jefferson. All in all, Bradley did an amazing job of connecting all the characters and presenting the situation well enough that the reader is more than moved by the story.(less)

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Dec 21, 2011 Chris Murray rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ethnic, historical-fiction

Summary:

The untold story of Thomas Jefferson's slave children

Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston are Thomas Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, and while they do get special treatment - better work, better shoes, even violin lessons - they are still slaves, and are never to mention who their father is. The lighter-skinned children have been promised a chance to escape into white society, but what does this mean for the children who look more like their mother? As each chil...more Summary:

The untold story of Thomas Jefferson's slave children

Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston are Thomas Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, and while they do get special treatment - better work, better shoes, even violin lessons - they are still slaves, and are never to mention who their father is. The lighter-skinned children have been promised a chance to escape into white society, but what does this mean for the children who look more like their mother? As each child grows up, their questions about slavery and freedom become tougher, calling into question the real meaning of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Told in three parts from the points of view of three of Jefferson's slaves - Beverly, Madison, and a third boy close to the Hemings family - these engaging and poignant voices shed light on what life was like as one of Jefferson's invisible offspring.

My Comments:

In this book, the subject matter takes prescedence over the writing. The story is told in simple language, but it is a riveting story! The story of Thomas Jefferson's slave children is almost universally accepted as true due to DNA testing. Jefferson's Sons is told from a child's point of view, why they must not call Jefferson "papa", mama going up to the "big house" etc. which blunts the subject matter somewhat. Jefferson's character is rather vague; he talks to these children and sometimes interacts with them. He is depicted as absent minded, given to lavish parties and luxuries and ends up in enormous debt. I never really got Sally Hemming's relationship with Jefferson - how she felt about him. Jefferson's Sons is very good at showing how people like Jefferson honored the Declaration of Independence, yet ignored slavery. The Declaration is hanging on the wall in Montecillo and one of the characters, Maddie, struggles to learn to read it. It also shows that there is no good slave holder, no matter how
benevolent they seem. In this book, Sally's children know that someday they will be free and live in white society - to do this they must pose as white and never let anyone know their true story.
In an afterward, the author tells us what is real and what is made-up in this book.

Extra Note: Lafayette comes to visit Jefferson when they are both old men. They hardly recognize each other, then when they do, they fall into each other's arms weeping. (less)

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Dec 02, 2011 Margo Tanenbaum rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 18th-century, american, african-american

I've had this book on my radar for a while, and had been waiting patiently for one of my many local libraries to purchase it so I could check it out. My patience finally ran out, and I decided to buy it myself. Frankly, this is such an important story that I think it's a must buy for school and public libraries and am disappointed that it seems to have escaped the notice of so many of the public libraries near me. The book has been getting some Newbery buzz from the blogosphere (which probably d...more I've had this book on my radar for a while, and had been waiting patiently for one of my many local libraries to purchase it so I could check it out. My patience finally ran out, and I decided to buy it myself. Frankly, this is such an important story that I think it's a must buy for school and public libraries and am disappointed that it seems to have escaped the notice of so many of the public libraries near me. The book has been getting some Newbery buzz from the blogosphere (which probably doesn't mean much, given recent Newbery history!), but it would also be a great candidate for the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction or the Coretta Scott King Award as well.

I get tired of our founding fathers being treated like saints, particularly in literature for young people--they were far from it, being not only men of flesh and blood but creatures of their time. In this compelling novel, Bradley tells the story of slave Sally Hemings' children, widely considered to be fathered by Thomas Jefferson (although some controversy persists despite DNA evidence showing that the Hemmings descendants share common traits with Jeffersons' descendants). The story is told from the point of view of three of Jefferson's slaves--two of whom, Beverly and Madison, were his sons from Sally Hemings, and the third, Peter, the young son of another slave on the plantation who was close to Hemings' children.

Although a slave, Sally Hemings herself was three-quarters white, and a half-sister to Jefferson's wife, Martha (who is already deceased at the time this book takes place). Her four children who survive infancy--Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston--know who their father is but are forbidden to talk about it. Their special status means they get special treatment--better clothes, better food, easier work, and even learning to read and write and getting violin lessons, and their mother tells them they'll be freed when they're 21 years old, when they will be able to live as white people. Although they're 7/8 white, and all but one of them can easily "pass," make no mistake, they are still slaves. When a captured slave is returned to Monticello and whipped publicly for his crime, Sally and her children are forced to watch along with all the other slaves.

As Jefferson gets older, even those in the slave quarters suspect that his extravagant entertaining at Monticello, his constant building projects, and his love for fine French wines and luxurious goods are leading to greater and greater indebtedness. What will happen when Master Jefferson dies, and these debts have to be settled? The precious words of the Declaration of Independence--and its enshrinement of freedom for all--a copy of which is displayed at Monticello, are surely not meant for everyone, when slaves are another form of property and can be sold away at any time. This story ends with Jefferson's death, and a heart-wrenching slave auction in which families we have come to know in this novel are torn apart. The novel ends with a four-letter word. Sold.

An afterword by the author explains what in the book is based on historical fact, and what is made up. She also explains what is known of Sally Hemings' children. Her two daughters apparently married white men, never telling about their past, and their families are lost in history. Madison and Eston Hemings stayed in Virginia until their mother's death, later moving to Ohio and Wisconsin.

While many of the details of Bradley's story are invented, she is careful to make the story historically possible. She writes in her afterword, "I have done what I can with what we know now. I've told all the truth I can find; so far as I know, nowhere have I written anything that couldn't be true--that contradicts something we know for sure." As far as I'm concerned, she's done an outstanding job writing historical fiction populated with real characters, some of whom have left little behind in the historical record.

We owe Bradley our respect for daring to dig behind the "great man" mythology of Jefferson to share with younger readers a broader perspective on not only his life, but how the institution of slavery impacted one of our most important founding fathers and his legacy.

Highly recommended!
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Nov 18, 2011 Elizabeth K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-new-reads

Good grief, this was a hard read at times because of the subject matter, but overall it's an extremely thought-provoking book. It's mostly the story of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson's children, who were raised as slaves at Monticello, and party the story of another enslaved family who were their friends.

My only real complaint is that it's a little expository, a character will answer a conversational question with a comprehensive overview of some element of Jefferson family history, but I ca...more Good grief, this was a hard read at times because of the subject matter, but overall it's an extremely thought-provoking book. It's mostly the story of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson's children, who were raised as slaves at Monticello, and party the story of another enslaved family who were their friends.

My only real complaint is that it's a little expository, a character will answer a conversational question with a comprehensive overview of some element of Jefferson family history, but I can't see how else you could get the information out there so it might have to happen that way.

The fact that these are real people (and at least two of the primary characters in the book are based on real people who also wrote their own memoirs, which I will be seeking out) adds an extra punch of horror. Awful things in particular:
- the children realizing that 1. Thomas Jefferson is their father and 2. they are his slaves
- one of kids realizing that his lighter-skinned brothers and sister will eventually be able to live as white people, while he will not
- the recently freed father of another enslaved family explaining to his young son the order in which he (the father) will need to attempt to purchase the mother and sisters in the family, and the reasons why.

It wasn't one terrible thing after another, it also presented a lot of information on daily life at Monticello (any port in a storm, really), the cultural climate of the time, and the very dynamic relationships between and among the Jefferson family and the enslaved people on their farm.

One aspect of the book that I kept turning over in my head is that it's challenging, I think, to write a book where so much hinges on paternity issues without having it imply a lot of bedroom issues, and that made me wonder how this would work with younger kids. I tried to imagine (and couldn't, really) using this in a classroom setting. By the end, though, I was thinking that if nine year old kids could be slaves, it's not so much of an problem to worry about nine year old kids reading about them.

Grade: A-
Recommended: to fans of children's historical fiction(less)

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Nov 05, 2011 Richie Partington rated it 5 of 5 stars

20 October 2011 JEFFERSON'S SONS: A FOUNDING FATHER'S SECRET CHILDREN by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Dial, September 2011, 368p., ISBN: 978-0-8037-3499-9

"'Ah,' said Mama. 'Then why would this boy be a slave?'
"Beverly didn't know what Mama wanted them to say. He took Maddy's hand and rubbed it. 'He's kind of dark,' Beverly said. 'I mean, not really, but his skin is a little darker than mine.'
"'So, dark skin is what makes you a slave?' Mama said. 'Everyone with dark skin is a slave?'
"Well that wa...more

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Oct 18, 2011 Joan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: historical fiction fans, American history students

Shelves: historical-fiction, j-books, music, biography, 5-6-fiction

This book was excellent. Rarely does a book written for children directly confronts the hypocrisy of one of our founding fathers, the one who wrote the Declaration of Independence, owning slaves. Told from the point of view of the three oldest slave sons of Jefferson and from the point of view of a slave child who was friends to the Jefferson boys. The author does not presume to explain why this happened but gives hints as to her opinion. Jefferson liked the good life: French food and wines, bei...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Joshua rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hot-reads-11-12

This book is a conundrum. Not my usual genre, but well-written if a little slow at times. It's an uncomfortable read, based on the subject matter and has the potential to be very controversial... Subject matter is definitely middle school I think but writing is a bit younger and character's who you are following at least thus far are younger...

It's definitely newbery award bait, and virtually unreviewable as to my knowledge it is the first book for this age level to focus on this aspect of slave...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

History supports the theory that Thomas Jefferson, one of this nation's founding fathers and a President of the United States, had several children with house slave Sally Hemings. This novel is a fictional account of the lives and times of those children, told largely from the perspective of Beverley Hemings, who would have been Jefferson's oldest surviving son with Sally. The story begins when Beverley is just eight-years-old. At that age, Beverley is fascinated with Jefferson, who at the time...more History supports the theory that Thomas Jefferson, one of this nation's founding fathers and a President of the United States, had several children with house slave Sally Hemings. This novel is a fictional account of the lives and times of those children, told largely from the perspective of Beverley Hemings, who would have been Jefferson's oldest surviving son with Sally. The story begins when Beverley is just eight-years-old. At that age, Beverley is fascinated with Jefferson, who at the time spent a great part of each year in Washington, DC as President. He also cannot understand why he is not allowed to call the man he knows is his father "Pappa". He learns that he and his siblings have been promised their freedom at age twenty-one, and that he and his lighter-skinned brothers and sisters are expected to "live White" and enter society far away from their home at that time. He also has brief, poignant encounters with his father throughout his life. As Beverley grows toward manhood, he learns many answers to his questions and records the lives of those around him, both in Master Jefferson's household and in the slave quarters on Mulberry Row. This novel is an excellent tale based on the author's three years of reseach and her thoughts of "what might have been" in regard to the lives of Jefferson's not-so-secret children. Here we see a more human side to a president many of us know little about and we also witness slave life during Jefferson's time. We also struggle with how Thomas Jefferson could pen the words, "All men are created equal..." and still own slaves, leaving many of them to be sold for repayment of debt upon his death. This fictional account gives the reader many things to think about while also providing a wonderful tale in Beverley's voice. An excellent read that was even more fulfilling after reading the author's note and visiting http://www.monticello.org where the author found some of her research. It gave me chills to visit the "Plantation & Slavery" section and see the real-life names of the children and families in the book. Highly recommended for students grades 5 and up. (less)

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Jun 22, 2012 Liza rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: inte5990-database

Bradley, K. (2011). Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Gr. 4-6. At Monticello, there is a secret that everyone knows: Master Jefferson has children with Sally, one of his slaves. Beverly knows this too, and wonders why his father ignores him at the Great House. While they are still slaves, the kids have it better than other slaves, and have been promised freedom when they turn 21, and each must make the choice to be free, or to stay with...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, historical, multicultural, juvenile

I really love the topic- Jefferson's slaves (also his children)- and the presentation of the topic- a series of three voices of two of his sons and one of their friends. Shifting narrators allows the author to maintain the perspective of a young child while allowing the characters to grow up and a longer period of time to pass. It also asked the reader to consider the different circumstances of the people involved. However, I felt that the shifts between narrators were often clunky and felt forc...more

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Oct 17, 2011 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-award-possibilities

Really a compelling book. It made me want to cry and vomit by turns--sometimes even to laugh. I assumed I knew the gist of the Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemings story, but I didn't. Bradley writes movingly and believably about what it might have been like to be the 1/8th-black slave of your president slash father. And how your existence might have affected your mother and your extended family and your white more-than-half-sister (maybe everyone knows this but me, but I was astonished to read that H...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Tracey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-history

Wow! What a story. While it is historical fiction, it is based on a lot of documentation - the other family of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson did take care of his other family, to a degree. It was not overt, but he made sure they would be free at 21.

Now, for the rest of the slaves... you just need to read, to the very end.

Side note:
Reading this book makes me think more about how slavery tore the father out of so many families, and the families of today in which this occurs (dad is missing for whate...more

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About Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1967, very near the small town that was the setting for my first book, Ruthie's Gift. I attended Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts, and graduated with a degree in chemistry just a few weeks before I married my high school sweetheart--Bart Bradley.

I studied chemistry in college because that was what I most loved to learn, but it's not what...more

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“What you know in your head and what you say out loud are not always the same.” — 4 people liked it

“I kept traveling down the road. And everywhere it was the same. What was my name, who were my people? What was I supposed to say? That my father is the president, and my mother is his slave?” — 3 people liked it

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