The Wagon

by Tony Johnston, James Ransome (Illustrator)

One Carolina morning a child is born into slavery. He grows and is soon working for the Master from dawn to dark. And as he grows, he dreams that the wagon he's helped build for Master is a glorious chariot of freedom.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens

40 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wagon is written as Historical fiction. The story follows a boy from birth to age 12, born into a family of slaves. The boy lives on a farm with his dad and mom and grows up working on the farm until Abe Lincoln abolished slavery. Hardships and suffering, such, as lashes, and forced labor are described and depicted in this story. The boys father is told to build a wagon my the Master Slaver for hauling wood, they wagon is described as a dark colored wood and compared to the skin color of the slaves. They boy hates the wagan, takes an ax to the wagon, and dreams about the wagon, he wants it but cannot have it, as it belongs to the Master slaver. As the story comes to an end the Abe abolishes slavery and the boy and his family leave the farm on the wagon. The wagon is a symbol of freedom, which may be how I would use this book in the classroom. It would be used for a unit on families and slavery, that despite hardships family sticks together. I may introduce symbols and use this book as an introduction for symbols in text. I would say this book would work with a 3rd grade classroom, maybe second grade. The book accuratlly depicts slavery and brings life to a sadder part of our nations history. The characters are portrayed in the images and text wearing clothing and sharing the values and attitudes of the time period.

As a side note, I love the illustrations in this book. Very well done, very detailed,and oil paints were chooses as the medium.

[538pm_chriswong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous, but there isn't much of a story to "Wagon". It's about an African American boy who is born into slavery and dreams about freedom. His father builds a wagon for their master, and the boy spends day and night daydreaming about being free (like riding a glorious chariot to freedom or being like a bug with split wings). The story focuses mostly on the boys feelings, but it's redundant and becomes a bit wearisome after a while. Some of the working realities are glimpsed at as he is whipped by an overseer for weeping an old man is whipped, but it would've been better if more examples like this were provided so the reader could better understand why the boy wants to be free. The ending is a bit anti-climatic with the book suddenly announcing that Lincoln set the slaves free (with no reference to the Civil War) and the slaves being happy and singing together and riding the wagon they built to freedom. Overall, 3 stars for good illustrations and some good glimpses into slavery but loses 2 stars due to lack of story and for being a bit too superficial about the realities of slavery.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful paintings illustrate the life of a slave family in the late 1850's and just before the freeing of the slaves as well as the death of Lincoln Life is told through the eyes of a young boy using poetic text. I loved the expression describing the boy's age by comparing it to the number of plantings of the crops. Also the piercing sentence on page one conveys the hopelessness of slavery: "But like all my family, birth to grave, my skin made me a slave."

[Millie Simonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was set on a plantation. I thought that this book would be a good book to help teach about slaves being freed and a good segway into the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His father built a wagon and when they were freed they drove the wagon to Abraham Lincoln's funeral.

[Jenny Clark]

Beautiful paintings for illustrations, and a story of how one boy changes from a young slave to a young free man. Gives a very brief overview of slavery, and could easily make a child want to learn more.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

very harsh depiction of a terrible time. Not a book I would read to my own children or anyone else's children.

[Starr Elementary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story of the Civil War struggle of a young slave boy's feelings.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

uses: historical fiction picture book

[Kristen]

A boy tells the frustrations of life as a slave before being freed.

[Michelle Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The paintings by James E. Ransome are beautiful.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is told from the point of view of a young slave view. "I was a boy, not a mule. I longed to do what free boys do. " When his owner set the family free after the civil war they got the cart and mules. The paintings by James E. Ransome are gorgeous and rich in color.

[Diva Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children’s book and it gives a child’s depiction of life as a slave and what a taste of freedom means for the family. I truly enjoyed this story and it was wonderful to read from this point of view.

[Ryan Koontz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: Primary
This story is from the perspective of a young slave boy. It ties original storytelling with historical accuracy and stimulates the reader's emotions in a way that will truly make you feel for the characters.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The paintings in this book are beautiful. It's a story of enslavement and emancipation from the perspective of a little boy.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kept the kids’ attention the entire time and the paintings are really powerful.