Freedom Over Me
{{Short description|Picture book by Ashley Bryan}}
{{Infobox book
| italic title =
| name = Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
| image = Freedom Over Me (Bryan, 2016).jpg
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| author = Ashley Bryan
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| illustrator = Ashley Bryan
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| language = English
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| set_in = 1828, southern United States
| publisher = Atheneum Books
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| pub_date = {{dts|2016|09}}
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| pages = 56
| awards = 2017 Newbery Honor
| isbn = 9781481456906
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| website = {{url|www.simonandschuster.com/books/Freedom-Over-Me/Ashley-Bryan/9781481456906|Publisher's website}}
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Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan is a young adult picture book written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2016. It is set in a slave-owning state in 1828 and describes the hopes and dreams of eleven slaves listed for sale. It was named a Newbery Honor book in 2017.
Plot summary
The story starts with a poem recounting the thoughts of the slaveowner, Mrs. Mary Fairchilds; after her husband, Cado died, she has decided to have her property appraised to prepare it for sale; afterward, she intends to return to England. The book gives the names and appraised value of each of the 11 slaves owned by the Fairchilds, accompanied by two poems: one describing their work and another describing their dreams.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%;text-align:left;" | |||||
| Slave | Age | Value | Position | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peggy
| 48 || 150 || Cook ! Mariama | | |||||
| Stephen
| 32 || 300 || Carpenter ! Yerodin | Central Africa | |||||
| Jane
| 28|| 300 || Seamstress ! Serwaa | West Africa | |||||
| John
| 16 || 100 || Child ! Osere | America | |||||
| Athelia
| 42 || 175 || Laundress ! Adero | | |||||
| Charlotte
| 30 || rowspan=2 | 400 || Basketmaker ! Bisa | | |||||
| Dora
| 8 || Child ! Akua | America | |||||
| Bacus
| 34 || 250 || Blacksmith ! Abena | | |||||
| Qush
| 60 || 100 || Herdsman/Laborer ! Kayode | Yoruba | |||||
| Mulvina
| 60 || 100 || Field ! Niami | | |||||
| Betty
| 36 || 150 || Flower gardener ! Temitope | Yoruba |
Development
The book was inspired by an actual appraisal dated July 5, 1828 in the author's collection; the appraisal listed names and values, but not ages.{{cite interview |url=https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=ashley-bryans-freedom-over-me-an-interview |title=Ashley Bryan's "Freedom over Me" {{!}} An Interview |subject=Ashley Bryan |interviewer= |date=September 13, 2016 |work=School Library Journal |accessdate=18 March 2019}} The title is taken from the spiritual Oh, Freedom.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2016/06/30/review-of-the-day-freedom-over-me-by-ashley-bryan/ |title=Review of the Day: Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan |author=Bird, Elizabeth |date=June 30, 2016 |website=A Fuse 8 Production (blog) |publisher=School Library Journal |accessdate=18 March 2019}}
Reception
In 2017, the American Library Association named Freedom Over Me to its list of Newbery Honor winners, alongside Adam Gidwitz's The Inquisitor's Tale and Lauren Wolk's Wolf Hollow.{{cite press release |url=http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/01/american-library-association-announces-2017-youth-media-award-winners |title=American Library Association announces 2017 youth media award winners |date=January 30, 2017 |publisher=American Library Association |accessdate=16 March 2019}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web |url=https://ashleybryancenter.org/books.html |title=Books |author=Bryan, Ashley |website=ashleybryancenter.com |accessdate=18 March 2019}}
Category:2016 children's books
Category:American picture books
Category:American poetry books
Category:Young adult poetry books
Category:Newbery Honor–winning works