Freewater is a mythical place of freedom. It is the name of a place of refuge and safety for runaway slaves, a safe community, built by successful runaways to sustain themselves and others, as they escape and are rescued. It has its own form of government, with patrols for security, a food supply, like corn, in addition to what nature provides with berries, acorns and water, and it thrives, well hidden, deep in the swamp. This marvelous novel dramatically tells a story about slavery that will introduce children to its terrors and injustices, so they can understand its evil, but it also teaches them about a possible resistance movement that developed among the slaves, that surely did exist, but that little is known about. It teaches them about respecting each other and the environment, it shows just what can be accomplished with honest hard work, when there is mutual respect for each other.
Using an imaginary plantation called Southerland, the way in which slave owners abused their slaves, treating them inhumanely, as property to be used in any way they chose, as if they had no value except for the work they performed, the author has illustrated the magnitude of the injustice done to these captured people, people who never ceased to hope to escape from bondage, to find their families from whom they were separated as they were sold off, and to travel north to freedom. Only the barest minimum of creature comforts were supplied to them. If they failed to perform their tasks, or showed any disrespect, real or imagined by an overseer or an owner, they were severely, cruelly punished. Those who tried to escape were tracked, and when caught, they were subjected to barbaric retribution for their disobedience. They were owned and had monetary value, nothing more. If they could not perform, they had no value. If they left, the owner felt robbed. Although they were forced to work in the homes of their masters, under the direst of circumstances, in their fields and in their kitchens, doing whatever job was assigned to them, they never stopped dreaming of their families and their independence.
When a slave cook, Rose, makes a run for it with her son Homer and her daughter Ada, the story takes a harrowing turn of events. As they run through the swamp, avoiding the dangers there, the snakes, mud holes that would swallow them, other wild creatures that might be there, traps that were set, slave catchers and dogs, Homer realizes that they had left his friend Anna behind; his mom returns to get her. She insists that twelve-year-old Homer continues onward to safety, with his younger sister, Ada, an impetuous, talkative little girl. Unfortunately, Rose is recaptured and severely beaten. Homer and Ada, however, are rescued by Suleman, the “superhero” of this tale, who appears to fly down from a tree. He leads them to the secret swamp colony called Freewater, a well-hidden place of safety for escaping slaves.
In Freewater, there are children who have never seen a plantation, who were born free and have never seen a white face, who are playing and laughing and running about happily. The children are amazed. These escaped, free, former slaves, are farming the land, protecting themselves, and taking from the environment what nature provides. They try to give back to the environment what they are able to return to nature, as well. They plant and harvest their own crops. They abuse nothing, not their surroundings or their fellow community members. They create a community with rules and standards based on mutual respect and they honor each other. They provide security and sustenance in complete harmony. The swamp provides the food, materials for clothing, and shelter for them all. When danger is signaled, they all come together to fight it. Everyone participates equally.
Homer and Ada are welcomed into the community with open arms, and they are trained in survival techniques. They learn how to weave ropes and make sky bridges. They discover the “far patrols”, people who look like trees because they are festooned with branches and leaves, who provide security as lookouts as they sit high in the branches of the trees, far above the settlement, watching their surroundings and warning them if danger approaches. Homer and Ada have never known such freedom and independence. They feel safe, but, in spite of this, Homer misses his mother. He is troubled by guilt because she was recaptured because of him. He is obsessed with the idea of returning to the plantation to rescue her and his friend, Anna. His mother had never come to find him, as he had hoped, because she always had before they had escaped.
When he recognizes another escapee from the plantation, Two Shoes, whom he never trusted, he spies on him and finds a map in his shoe that can take him back to the plantation. He wonders what Two shoes is up to. He has left his wife and child behind at Southerland. Is he willing to betray Freewater and its people, in order to save them? After a terrible fire in the corn fields, Two Shoes disappears. Did he die in the fire? Homer thinks not. When Homer leaves to find his mother, he plans to deal with him, as well.
Each of the characters has a story to tell. Nora is the mute daughter of Master Crumbs, who finds her voice when she discovers her own courage and ability to act to bring about justice. She attempts to help a slave she loves. She does not feel as if she belongs on the plantation as she witnesses the cruelty to the slaves, doled out by her own family. Will she be a future activist for justice?
Anna, Homer’s friend, wants to search for her mother from whom she was separated. Ferdinand has no parents to return to, and Sanzi wants to be a hero like Suleman and often makes impetuous dangerous judgments which cause terrible consequences. She and Ferdinand compete with each other to be the strongest. Sanzi and Juna are the daughters of Ms. Light, the community leader. David, their father, is very brave. Billy doesn’t believe he has any courage but finds it when it is needed. He really admires Juna. Daria and Billy’s dad, Ibra, meet and marry in Freewater.
The finale of the story is very exciting as a small group of children attempts to rescue Homer’s family. The themes of endurance and courage are front and center. The children are like all children, sometimes making foolish decisions as they learn responsibility. They keep secrets from the adults and each other, out of guilt or jealousy or immaturity or sometimes, necessity. Sometimes their actions have dangerous consequences. However, they overcome their fears, to do the right thing, and even, sometimes, set an example for some of the adults.
So you see, there are so many characters and so many character traits that any child can identify with, regardless of their color, as they learn about the crime of slavery, a long time before the Emancipation Proclamation Of President Abraham Lincoln who is not mentioned in the book. The story promises to be a teaching moment and requires discussion and elaboration as it is read. It needs honest and sincere explanations, and not excuses, about the behavior of each character that is written about on these pages. It requires the truth to be told.
Slavery is a stain on our history, and this middle grade novel explores it well. It paints a realistic picture of the life a slave was forced to endure, with all of the burdens, dreams and suffering, in bold relief. It illustrates their yearning to be free.