Janie's Freedom: African Americans in the Aftermath of the Civil War (1867)

Sisters in Time #14

by Callie Smith Grant

Time   1867  Eleven-year-old Janie finds herself in a quandary. The War Between the States is now over, and Miss Laura, widowed mistress of Rubyhill Plantation, has told Rubyhill's former slaves they're welcome to stay or free to leave. But for Janie, where should she go? There are still dangers in the South, and so many unknowns in the North-and moving may eliminate any chance of ever finding her mother. Using actual historical events to tell the poignant story of a newly-liberated young slave girl, Janie's Freedom is an excellent read for eight- to twelve-year-old girls, teaching American history and the Christian faith at the same time.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Childrens, School, Civil War

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Callie Smith Grant is the editor of A Prince among Dogs and A Dickens of a Cat. She is also the author of several nonfiction books for young readers and adults as well as many animal-themed stories and poems which can be seen in Guideposts anthologies and in magazines such as Small Farmers Journal.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pre Teens- Three Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
This is such a hard topic in history to read about, but I think this author did quite well with Janie and the faith content shown throughout this small book.


{{Official Content Review to Come.}}

[Ille · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Janie's Freedom: African Americans in the Aftermath of Civil War' by Callie Smith Grant is another very good book in the Sisters In Time series.
Each book in the Sisters In Time series is about the main character and their experiences during an important time in American history. Historical fiction, each book also teaches important lessons in Christianity like having faith in God and serving others.

In this book, Janie (a freed slave) makes a long trek from Georgia to Chicago, Illinois in the search of new opportunities.

Although the Sisters In Time series is aimed at girls around age 10 to 14, I would recommend this book to any females who enjoy reading Historical Fiction books.

[SWC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictional characters in a historical setting of African Americans following the Civil War.

[horse gal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bit over the top with the sentence crazy whites but overall pretty good

[Tina Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging main character, easy to read, informative. Just felt the ending was rather abrupt.

[Shannon Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think about being pulled away from your family when you are five. Janie, in Janie’s Freedom by Callie Smith Grant, was. When Janie was five she was taken to be a slave.They took her to Rubyhill Plantation.There she lived with a blind old woman named Aunty Mil.

When Janie was eleven, her and her best friend Aleta, were like sisters. Some of the older slaves were planning for Janie and her friends to go North for a better life. They were planning to get there before Christmas.

On the way, Blue and Lucy got really sick. When Janie was getting food, she met a white girl named Maydean. They became friends and Maydean took them to the Hull’s farm.The Hulls were doctors. So Janie and her friends stayed there for the winter, and the Hulls taught them how to read and write.

In the meantime, Janie’s parents went to Rubyhill Plantation for Janie but Janie had already left. So the parents packed up and went where Janie was going. On their way, they found a barn and stayed there for the winter. Janie’s parents were always a state behind.

Will Janie ever reconnect with her parents? Read it to find out. I think you will like this story if you like adventure.

Review by
Dayne Hess
Grade 5

[Tarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1867, and even though the Civil War is over, former slave, Janie, has stayed with her mistress, all this time.
However, the owner leaves the plantation in the hands of the slaves, to do whatever they want. Everything is different now, and Janie has to learn how she should cope with the drastic new changes. It's hard for her to make the right life-changing decision, and leave her old life behind.

I loved this book! It was hard to set it down after I began reading it. Out of the 7 Sisters in Time books, that I have read, this one is the most exhilarating and satisfying, so far!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and the characters likable. It is about a young girl named Janie, who along with four other children, flee from the plantation where they were once slaves, and travel to Chicago to find work as free people. Along the way, they meet and are helped by some kind Quaker people who show them that they need not be fearful of all white people.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because my daughter had to do a book project on this book. It was ok for a middle grade historical fiction. It was a very "sanitized" version of what the South was like after the Civil War but made a good introduction to my 9 year old daughter.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of courage, and determination, and the passion to be free. A great read.

[Amy Berti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this kid's perspective of post civil war time. Read it to my girls and they both liked it (ages 7 and 9).

[Anna Lienau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read when I was probably 10yrs old and loved how it made history come alive!