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Title details for Unbound by Ann E. Burg - Available

Unbound

A Novel in Verse

by Ann E. Burg
Bahni Turpin
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
From the award-winning author of All the Broken Pieces and Serafina's Promise comes a breathtaking new novel that is her most transcendent and widely accessible work to date.

The day Grace is called from the slave cabins to work in the Big House, Mama makes her promise to keep her eyes down. Uncle Jim warns her to keep her thoughts tucked private in her mind or they could bring a whole lot of trouble and pain. But the more Grace sees of the heartless Master and hateful Missus, the more a rightiness voice clamors in her head-asking how come white folks can own other people, sell them on the auction block, and separate families forever. When that voice escapes without warning, it sets off a terrible chain of events that prove Uncle Jim's words true. Suddenly, Grace and her family must flee deep into the woods, where they brave deadly animals, slave patrollers, and the uncertainty of ever finding freedom. With candor and compassion, Ann E. Burg sheds light on a startling chapter of American history—the remarkable story of runaways who sought sanctuary in the Great Dismal Swamp—and creates a powerful testament to the right of every human to be free.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    August 1, 2017

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781338304145
      • File size: 102049 KB
      • Duration: 03:32:36

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 900
    • Text Difficulty: 4-5

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Bahni Turpin embraces the emotions of 9-year-old Grace while delivering the cadences of Burg's novel in verse. Grace's mother tries to prepare her daughter for working in the Big House, cautioning her to keep her eyes down and her mouth shut. But how can Grace's mother truly ready her blue-eyed, light-skinned daughter for the hateful Missus? In depicting Grace's encounters with the cold-hearted Missus, Turpin captures the child's visceral fear. When the Missus decides to sell Grace's family, Grace remembers what she heard growing up--"You hear 'auction,' 'n' you run!" As the family flees to the Great Dismal Swamp, Turpin dramatically portrays how Grace counters heartbreak with heroism and shame with a spirited sense of self. S.W. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      July 18, 2016
      Written in clipped verse, Burg’s third novel, after All the Broken Pieces and Serafina’s Promise, follows nine-year-old Grace, who is called up from the slave cabins to work in the Big House. Grace’s mother warns her to keep her eyes down and her mouth shut, but her youth and strong sense of morality and fairness make it difficult to bite her tongue: “I wonder why/ Master n the Missus/ get to eat right early/ in the morning/ n them what’s been workin/ got to wait till/ the midday bell.” When Grace talks back to the Missus, causing her mother and younger brothers to be sent to the auction block, Grace and her family flee the plantation and go deep, seeking refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp. Based on historical events and an actual refuge for escaped slaves, the family’s journey through the swamp is harrowing, yet Burg’s colloquial verse gives Grace a strong, distinct voice, allowing her emotion and determination to shine. Grace’s story of familial love, community, and hope is a moving, sensitive read. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:900
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

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