Siblings escape slavery, find a home in awe-inspiring tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Abuse isn't explained in excessive detail, but there are mentions of branding, whipping, and physical violence. Guns are fired but don't hit anyone. The kids from Freewater fight with slingshots, arrows, and knives.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Many of the characters learn from their mistakes and grow into better people. Homer stops trying to be invisible and becomes a leader. Billy overcomes his fears and finds moments to be brave.
Diverse Representations
a lot
The main characters are Black. A White character has a strawberry mark on their face. Another character has a stutter. The novel describes how the maroon community of Freewater governs itself and their lives day to day. There are family units beyond mother-father-children, and a single father remarries. The story shows the horror of U.S. slavery though kids' eyes.
Find your voice. Allow yourself to be seen. Be brave. The younger generation will take up the torch and help take the community forward.
Educational Value
some
Instead of escaping North, formerly enslaved people created secret communities in swamps and forests called maroon communities. There's a note from the author talking about the maroon communities that the book is based on.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Amina Luqman-Dawson's Freewater, winner of the 2023 Newbery Medal and the 2023 Coretta Scott King Award, is about two enslaved siblings, Homer, 12, and Ada, 7, escaping to a free swamp community in the American South called Freewater. There are many mentions of violence toward the enslaved (branding, whipping, physical violence). While these mentions aren't detailed at length, they are no less impactful or disheartening. There are references to drinking whiskey and the slur "darkies" is used to refer to the enslaved. One character's reckless antics put others in danger on a few occasions, but she learns from and tries to atone for her mistakes. There's a budding romance between a young boy and girl that in the beginning appears to be a one-sided crush. It progresses slowly and doesn't lead to more than a kiss on the cheek.
FREEWATER tells the story of enslaved siblings, 12-year-old Homer and his 7-year-old sister Ada, who in their quest for freedom get separated from their mother. They escape from "slave catchers" by plunging into the river. Afterward, they meet Suleman, who takes them to the swamp community of Freewater. In Freewater, Homer and Ada have found freedom and new friends like Billy, Sanzi, and Sanzi's older sister Juna. While Homer gets used to his newfound freedom, he can't help but miss his mom and his best friend Anna, whom he left behind. Will he and his friends be able to rescue them and protect their new home from danger?
This amazing tale of survival family and friendship will leave readers in awe. Freewater's multiple point of views and short chapters allow for a steady and engaging reading pace. The switching between points of view is never confusing, but sometimes enjoyably frustrating when a chapter ends on a cliffhanger. The book's main narrators are children, so readers see the horror of slavery through their eyes. They don't go into detail, so it's up to readers to put together the mystery of what happened. This allows for powerful scenes that can be only a few lines long with the reader filling in the rest.
While slavery is a huge part of the story, it's not the only focus. The book deals with themes of freedom, family, and friendship. There are also lighthearted moments of laughter, sibling bickering, and friends bonding. First-time author Amina Luqman-Dawson does a phenomenal job of showing that slavery wasn't just about physical confines, but a psychological state. Many of the formerly enslaved children take time to process their trauma in a realistic way. Throughout the story, the children (born free, formerly enslaved, and White) gain a newly enlightened view of the world and with that information, become people that will make readers proud.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about freedom in Freewater. It takes Homer and his sister Ada time to get comfortable in Freewater and to see themselves as free. Why do you think that is? How would you define freedom?
During U.S. slavery, enslavers often violently harmed the enslaved people that labored for them. Freewater contains scenes about the violence inflicted on the enslaved. How did reading about the violence make you feel? Why do you think the author chose to write about these moments?
Freewater is told from multiple point of views, including the formerly enslaved kids, the born-free children of Freewater, and the enslavers. Whose point of view did you like reading about the most? What made their point of view enjoyable? Which character's point of view did you like the least?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Myiesha Speight
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
