This is truly a heartwarming story about a boy or man who overcame slavery. Henry's Freedom Box is about a boy named Henry who was born a slave. When his master grows ill, Henry hopes that he will be freed but his hopes did not come true. Instead, he was given to his masters son and his life became much worse. Henry got married and had children but then his entire family was sold. Henry had nothing left so he asked a white abolitionist to pack him in a crate so he can be "mailed to freedom". His journey is long and dangerous but he does arrive in Philadelphia free!
This is a wonderful story to use to teach students about slavery and the underground railroad. Many students do not understand or realize that freedom was not always for everyone. When teaching elementary students its important to incorporate children't literature with the concept you are wanting to teach in order to get them to understand it better.
Other books by Ellen Levine include:
If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island
If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
If You Lived with the Iroquois
If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad
Levine, E. (2007). Henry's Freedom Box. New York: Scholastic Inc.
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