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 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.Download and start listening now!
"This is a beautiful story of a boy's escape to freedom after being enslaved. Because this book is about a true story, it would be a great way to incorporate Social Studies into Reading. Many response activities could be used related to that subject matter as well. Kadir uses very realistic illustrations, allowing the reader to feel the characters' emotions as they read. This could also be used for a great read-aloud."
— Kaedra (5 out of 5 stars)
“Related in measured, sonorous prose…this is a story of pride and ingenuity that will leave readers profoundly moved.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)" This book was very different than what I expected. Henry Brown is who the story is based on, doesn't know how old he is. He is a slave, and slaves do not know what their birthdays are because no one keeps track or puts it on record. He is sadly taken away from his family and he ends up working in a warehouse. Henry ends up and marrying another slave and has three children. A horrible event occurs, when he watches his family get sold at a slave market. Henry then has an idea that he will ship himself to a place where there are no slaves. I was left a little confused, wondering what other events occurred. That is something I will never know, but I did enjoy reading this. I would read this to my class, if they were a little older, to share a true historical event with them. I never read this as a child, but it is unique compared to other books. Ellen Levine did a great job bringing the story back in a way a young reader could understand. "
— Sami, 2/5/2014" A detail illustrative book describing the process of how one slave freed himself using the delivery service. This book has remarkable images to accompany the beautiful story line. "
— Bridgette, 1/1/2014" Henry's Freedom Box is about a slave named Henry and he is-just really trying to find freedom when he gets taken away from his family. So one day Henry puts himself in a box and sends himself to a free state. This is truly a heart warming story about slavey and freedom and finding the hero in you. "
— Lilly, 12/15/2013" This short book allows the reader to see the life of a slave and just a few of the hardships they had to endure. Some of these hardships include being beaten and separated from loved ones. This book would be a great resource when introducing a slavery unit or even talking about equality. "
— Katie, 12/15/2013" Interesting book, a little heavy for the subject of a children's picture book. "
— Jocelin, 12/13/2013" Henry's Freedom Box is a beautifully illustrated story about a man's journey out of slavery and into freedom. "
— Amanda, 11/22/2013" This is an extraordinary book, that takes you thorough different emotions. This book will make you sad, depressed, angry, and happy. I highly recommend reading this book. "
— Miguel, 11/17/2013" I really enjoy this book. It shows a side of the underground railroad in a way that younger children can understand. The first page says that Henry doesn't know when his birthday is. Every child has a birthday and celebrates in their own way. So it is easy for them to relate to Henry in that way. "
— Sydney, 9/24/2013" Simple, heart-breaking story, which follows the life of a man who was born a slave and his ultimate escape to freedom. "
— Rll520a_gaylehassan, 3/21/2013" Well illustrated book that shows the brutality of slavery, but still manages to fill the amazing plot with so much humanity. "
— Lucius, 3/7/2013" This was a great book! I did a book study on this with my class since we're studying the Civil War in social studies. They really enjoyed it. "
— Crystal, 1/18/2013" It's an awesome book! I really liked it! "
— Frank, 5/28/2012" The pictures are fabulous. The writing is okay. The story is incredible and will be added to my social studies picture books for teaching school. I love true stories. "
— Kerri, 1/2/2012Ellen 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. She was born in New York City and received her BA degree in Politics from Brandeis University, graduating Magna cum laude. She has a Master’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She has worked in film and television, taught adults and immigrant teenagers in special education and ESL programs, and served a law clerkship. A former staff attorney with a public interest law group, Levine now devotes her time to writing, lecturing, and teaching. She is on the faculty of Vermont College’s MFA program in writing for Children and Young Adults. Levine divides her time between New York City and Salem, New York.