This touching, powerful, and poetic story follows the story of a young slave who just wants to be free. Chains were put on him after he tried to escape slavery once, but that did not stop him. He found the opportunity and escaped with his chain around his ankle. His journey leads him to a sick little boy whom he cares for while they run for their freedom. This unlikely friendship turns into a father/ son relationship. Once in the land of the free, the young child touches the man's ankle, thus giving him his freedom. ( )

This book is for poetry lovers! This follows the journey of a young man, whose escape from slavery led to him becoming a foster father. This book ends with an act kindness returning an act of kindness which is a much needed message in this day. ( )

This is a very sad book about the plight of slaves before the civil war, and it would be a great one to use in a history lesson in a classroom. The theme might be resilience and faith. It is also based off of a Buddhist folk tale, so that is useful to note as well.

This is a rather intense story, which appropriately matches the intensity of the history it tells. Especially if used in elementary classrooms, this is a book that will most likely need to be sandwiched between contextual introduction and directed 'debrief'. This story and its illustrations will illicit questions, and especially if used for young children, should involve some adult guidance.

The plot uses a poetic structure to tell the experience of an adolescent slave who escapes in search of freedom. Along the way, he meets other runaway slaves, through which he finds and rescues an orphaned child slave who stays with him throughout the story. The adolescent made the choice to risk his success to save the child; in the end, the child manages to break the iron clasp still attached to the adolescent's ankle.

Potential uses:
- Open a conversation about the reality of slavery.
- Provide context for understanding the effect of slavery on black bodies (which is not actually and/or directly spoken about too effectively in classrooms. Though it may seem redundant to adults, it's an issue that warrants teacher-directed instruction for kids and adolescents.)
- Teach archetypes and thematics of stories and their capacity to connect story-telling through a space-time continuum. (The author is essentially retelling the story of Budha and his disciple, as told by Richard Kipling in Kim. The author explains, "I moved its setting and language to another time, as I believe its themes to be universal." The thematic imagery insinuates that love is that which sets us free.)

***I think there are other books more appropriate for teaching archetype and theme. While I agree that the story undoubtedly incorporates a universally relevant theme, I do not think that teachers, whose sole agenda is to teach story thematics and/or archetype, should opt to do so with a story that very blatantly engages with an African American slave narrative.*** ( )

Summary: A slave runs away from the "Big Man." The story tells of slavery and freedom.
Review: I found this beautifully written story to be very emotional. Everyone can relate to wanting freedom, but most of us have not experienced it true absence. This would be a wonderful book to teach children about slavery, because it is easy to relate to. It also tells of the power of love.