 Young Nemy sows seeds, pulls weeds, and strips leaves in the sugarcane plantation where she is enslaved. She listens to stories told by “Big Mother” in a hidden shack where women braid each other’s hair. The braids create patterns that hide secrets. They tell stories that only the women can understand. They are maps to freedom. Beyond slaveholders and sugar fields, freedom braids will lead the way to a new home. The new homes in this story are based on free communities in the thickly forested mountains of Colombia and are called palenques. The dark-toned artwork in this story of friendship, solidarity, and escape to freedom was created using digital tools. An author’s note provides more information, and the endpapers show different braid patterns. mjw |
| Title: Freedom Braids Author: Monique Duncan Illustrator: Oboh Moses Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd., U.K. Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-915244-80-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Colombia, South America Author’s ethnicity: Jamaican Author’s residence: New York City Illustrator’s ethnicity: Nigerian Illustrator’s residence: Lagos, Nigeria Subjects: Braids, Diversity, Escape, Freedom, Hairstyles, Liberty, Slavery, Slave trade, Traditions |
Freedom Braids
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