Freedom Braids
Gather the midnight strands,
tend the roots that gave you life,
weave hopes into pathways—
paths that lead you home.
Day after day, Nemy sows seeds, pulls weeds, and strips leaves in the sugarcane plantation where she is enslaved. But one night, she follows a woman called Big Mother to a hidden shack. There, she finds a group of women braiding each other’s hair. But these are no ordinary braids. Hidden in each elaborate pattern is a secret—a message signaling their intent to flee and a map to guide them in their escape. Will the paths these courageous women weave bring Nemy to a new home where she can be free?
A picture book of love, liberation, and legacy inspired by the true story of enslaved African women in Colombia braiding maps to freedom.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-915244-80-2
Temporarily out of stock
|
$14.24 | |
|
978-1-915244-82-6
|
$23.99 |
| Interest Level | Kindergarten - Grade 3 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 2 |
| Genre | Picture Books |
| Category | Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diverse Books: Social Justice, Diversity, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning |
| Copyright | 2024 |
| Publisher | Lantana Publishing |
| Imprint | Lantana Publishing |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Publication Date | 2024-09-10 |
Author: Monique Duncan
Monique Duncan is an American author of Jamaican descent who aims to inspire and affirm children through her books. Her book When Mama Braids My Hair was nominated for the Ezra Jack Keats Award. She lives in New York City.
Illustrator: Oboh Moses
Oboh Moses is a black digital illustrator who has been passionate about art since he was seven years old. In 2021, his work was selected for the American Illustration 40th Anniversary Annual. He lives and works in Lagos, Nigeria.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
Freedom Braids
Gather the midnight strands, tend the roots that gave you life, weave hopes into pathways— paths that lead you home. Day after day, Nemy sows seeds, pulls weeds, and strips leaves in the sugarcane plantation where she is enslaved.… View available downloads →
Awards
- 2024 Cybils Finalist
- 2024 Black Kidlit Award
Reviews
Booklist Online
“Told in simple, often lyrical language and enriched with an author’s note and end papers filling in details about the hidden meanings of the braids, this will be a welcome addition to elementary social studies and history units.”—Booklist Online
The New York Times
“Moses’ digitally rendered art . . . regenerates pain as a glow that leads Nemy to ‘a new dawn.’ . . . Nemy’s story leaves us to consider what a miracle it is that a body can grow the strands of her own survival, and what ingenuity it takes to comb and style a path to freedom.”—The New York Times
Kirkus Reviews
“A poignant tale of courage and resistance and of long-standing cultural traditions.”—Kirkus Reviews