From the Bookshelf of Mock Newbery 2026…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
I started out thinking that I had read this story before; that it was one of many accounts of Africans being stolen away from their homes and sold into slavery. However, author McKissack effectively revisits this history with her own blend of folklore and poetry, infusing the narrative with stories of the Elements called to action to try to save a lost son. The artwork by Leo and Diane Dillon also surprises, particularly in their whimsical characterizations of the four Elements. The story is a l
...more
Perfect marriage of powerful imagery in both text and illustration.
Beautiful story, beautifully illustrated.
Powerful story about a African boy captured by the slave trade. Beautiful illustrations by the Dillons. You better have some tissues ready when you read this.
Dec 18, 2011
Cathy Blackler
marked it as to-read
Oct 24, 2012
Kate Farrell
marked it as to-read
Feb 12, 2017
Mary Ann
added it
