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The Bell Rang
A young slave girl witnesses the heartbreak and hopefulness of her family and their plantation community when her brother escapes for freedom.
Every single morning, the overseer of the plantation rings the bell. Daddy gathers wood. Mama cooks. Ben and the other slaves go out to work. Each day is the same. Full of grueling work and sweltering heat. Every day, except one, when the bell rings and Ben is nowhere to be found. Because Ben ran. Yet, despite their fear and sadness, his family remains hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he made it North. That he is free.
Every single morning, the overseer of the plantation rings the bell. Daddy gathers wood. Mama cooks. Ben and the other slaves go out to work. Each day is the same. Full of grueling work and sweltering heat. Every day, except one, when the bell rings and Ben is nowhere to be found. Because Ben ran. Yet, despite their fear and sadness, his family remains hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he made it North. That he is free.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
7 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
James E. Ransome
75 books50 followersJames E. Ransome has illustrated more than fifty books for children and has won the Coretta Scott King Award for The Creation (by James Weldon Johnson). His work has also earned him a Coretta Scott King Honor, IBBY Honour, ALA Notable, NAACP Image Award, Bank Street best Book of the Year, and Rip Van Winkle Award. He lives in upstate New York with his wife, author Lesa Cline-Ransome, and their family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
September 8, 2019
Wow. Powerful story. Spare text shows the repetition of days for enslaved people and builds tension up to a family member running away. Illustrations are striking.
January 27, 2019
How can the story of our country’s original sin – slavery – be depicted in a children’s picture book? James Ransome has done a beautiful and moving job by centering the child. A young girl whose name we don’t know is the narrator, recounting her life, day by day. From her perspective, we see a family eating together after a day of work. She shares her family’s love for one another:
Mama kisses me.
Daddy hugs me.
My brother Ben
touches my shoulder
good-bye.
Just as matter-of-factly, she relates that her family members “walk to the fields with the overseer.” And other very hard truths are presented plainly, without drama. Guns and whips are part of her life.
Ransome includes a brief note on the inside back cover, explaining the choice he made in telling this particular story. It would also be interesting to know more about his choices for creating the illustrations. For example, our young storyteller is wearing a vibrant pink head wrap throughout the book. It draws the eye in every illustration. I wonder what the artist was signifying with this choice.
This feels like an important book, one that should be part of every school and public library.
Mama kisses me.
Daddy hugs me.
My brother Ben
touches my shoulder
good-bye.
Just as matter-of-factly, she relates that her family members “walk to the fields with the overseer.” And other very hard truths are presented plainly, without drama. Guns and whips are part of her life.
Ransome includes a brief note on the inside back cover, explaining the choice he made in telling this particular story. It would also be interesting to know more about his choices for creating the illustrations. For example, our young storyteller is wearing a vibrant pink head wrap throughout the book. It draws the eye in every illustration. I wonder what the artist was signifying with this choice.
This feels like an important book, one that should be part of every school and public library.
November 21, 2022
Poetically written text makes the words as important as the pictures, and almost as important as the concept. So much to discuss and ponder here, not just the main event but the doll, the details of their lives, Sunday, Ben's friends, etc.. I hope it becomes a classic touchstone.
(Do read it yourself, first. Only you can decide if you're ready to help your child with it.)
(Do read it yourself, first. Only you can decide if you're ready to help your child with it.)
July 13, 2021
An important book, and the art was good, but it was a quick read if a bit heart wrenching. 4 ⭐
February 20, 2019
February is Black History Month and while I believe Black History is integral part of American History and should be all year round I always like read a book that deals with Black History Month and this children picture book is phenomenal.
How are we suppose to have an open dialogue to teach children about slavery and how its one of several dark moments in our history without frightening them? I honestly believe this picture book nails the mark and showcasing slavery through the eyes of a young slave girl.
My reaction after reading this book was simply WOW! My mouth dropped at how simplistic the writing it is and yet the illustrations speaks volumes on the environment and the family unit. We always focus on the climate of Slavery, the Underground Railroad, and yet we never see the impact it has on families whose loved ones escape for a better future.
The narrator’s brother, Ben decides to escape to the North and you never find out whether he succeeded, got caught, or died during the journey. It’s the reality of the matter for thousands of slaves and their families when force to make that sacrifice in order to escape slavery and tortured.
I cannot begin to imagine the pain it must have felt for Ben to save himself and the pain his family must have experience in reference to the overseer of Master Tucker’s plantation and the worrying as to whether Ben survived or not. It also plants the seeds in the narrator as to whether in her future she chooses to escape like her brother or continue to be a slave.
Overall this is a fantastic children’s book that I highly recommend everyone to check out and read it to yourself and to your kids. I loved the illustrations, the themes, and the authors intention with starting an open dialogue about slavery with children!
How are we suppose to have an open dialogue to teach children about slavery and how its one of several dark moments in our history without frightening them? I honestly believe this picture book nails the mark and showcasing slavery through the eyes of a young slave girl.
My reaction after reading this book was simply WOW! My mouth dropped at how simplistic the writing it is and yet the illustrations speaks volumes on the environment and the family unit. We always focus on the climate of Slavery, the Underground Railroad, and yet we never see the impact it has on families whose loved ones escape for a better future.
The narrator’s brother, Ben decides to escape to the North and you never find out whether he succeeded, got caught, or died during the journey. It’s the reality of the matter for thousands of slaves and their families when force to make that sacrifice in order to escape slavery and tortured.
I cannot begin to imagine the pain it must have felt for Ben to save himself and the pain his family must have experience in reference to the overseer of Master Tucker’s plantation and the worrying as to whether Ben survived or not. It also plants the seeds in the narrator as to whether in her future she chooses to escape like her brother or continue to be a slave.
Overall this is a fantastic children’s book that I highly recommend everyone to check out and read it to yourself and to your kids. I loved the illustrations, the themes, and the authors intention with starting an open dialogue about slavery with children!
May 11, 2020
Written in stanzas, The Bell Rang is a gorgeous picture book that shares a week in the life of a young female slave. It begins on Monday as the bell rings. Each day, after the bell rings, daddy gathers wood and mama cooks. Then her parents go off to work on the plantation while she goes with the “young’uns” to Miss Sarah Mae’s. Thursday is different, however, because her brother is missing. He’s risked his life for freedom and all the family can do is wait and pray and hope that he made it to safety. The last page simply ends with “Monday…” but there’s a bird flying away, seemingly indicating freedom for Ben. An Author’s Note talks about what it was like when a slave ran for freedom and how slave owners encouraged family ties to suppress running. The beautiful illustrations for this book were rendered in acrylics.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
March 2, 2019
Gorgeously illustrated.
Heart-wrenchingly repetitive.
What does it take for a slave to run? What does it do to the family left behind?
Heart-wrenchingly repetitive.
What does it take for a slave to run? What does it do to the family left behind?
January 17, 2019
I was struck by the beautiful illustrations as soon as I saw the cover of this book. The story, on the other hand, was more gut-wrenching, but extremely necessary.
March 5, 2019
Breathtaking.
.
Simple, repetitive text drives home the mundane lives that enslaved people endured day after day.
.
Correta Scott King award winning author-illustrator James E. Ransome’s freshly published book about being torn between running for freedom and leaving those whom you love to weep in your wake is sure to garner more awards.
.
Pick up this gloriously illustrated, no-holds-barred look at family, bravery and sacrifice, and the sheer cruelty of enslavement.
.
This is a skinny book with big ideas that will not talk down to its readers: and its readers can and should be a wide range of ages. There are many layers to this story, many teaching points waiting to be uncovered, many hearts ready to welcome Ben and his family into their hearts.
.
.
Simple, repetitive text drives home the mundane lives that enslaved people endured day after day.
.
Correta Scott King award winning author-illustrator James E. Ransome’s freshly published book about being torn between running for freedom and leaving those whom you love to weep in your wake is sure to garner more awards.
.
Pick up this gloriously illustrated, no-holds-barred look at family, bravery and sacrifice, and the sheer cruelty of enslavement.
.
This is a skinny book with big ideas that will not talk down to its readers: and its readers can and should be a wide range of ages. There are many layers to this story, many teaching points waiting to be uncovered, many hearts ready to welcome Ben and his family into their hearts.
.
January 30, 2019
This one is a difficult and beautiful one. It made me cry in the way that Patricia Polacco's Pink and Say made me cry, and yet it's more powerful in it's spare words and beautiful illustration. It recounts the life of a slave family in the rhythym of their days, and then in the sudden escape of the son, Ben. The tension is masterfully conveyed, and I love that it leaves you never knowing what happened to Ben - conveying the unknown and the loss that many families in slavery experienced. Wow.
June 18, 2019
This was a hard book to give a rating to. I thought book was well written and the artwork very good, but the subject matter is not for small children. I am very much a proponent of children being made aware of the atrocities visited upon slaves during the early times of this country. But, at what age do you try to explain to a child about people being chased by vicious dogs and beaten with whips? I think parents should read this book before they read it to their children and decide if their children are at an age and maturity level to being introduced to such a heavy topic.
May 10, 2019
One of the best picture books about slavery that I've read. The student that I read it to asked me to share it with other teachers so that is a five star for me. :)
June 26, 2024
The Bell Rang was written and illustrated by James Ransome in 2019. It received the 2020 Corretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award. I found this book through Goodreads lists of historical fiction children’s books.
The Bell Rings tells the story of a slave family from the point of view of their daughter, whose name is never revealed. Each day begins the same: the bell rings, Daddy gathers wood, Mama cooks, and the adults and older children go to work in the fields. One day the girl’s brother, Ben, gifts her a doll made of twigs and cloth. The girl remarks that it “must have come from the master’s house” and she cherishes it. The days are the same until one day, Ben and his friends run away. In the wake of their escape, there is anxiety among Mama, Daddy, and the other slaves. Overseer hits Mama and Daddy. A few days later, the Overseer finds Ben’s friends and whips them. While this is not shown visually, the text tells us what happened and we see vicious-looking dogs barking and riled up. Sunday there is no bell and the slaves gather to hear one of them preach about Moses and being free. The girl and her family pray that Ben made it and is “free like the birds. Free like Moses.” The book ends with an illustration of the girl and the word “Monday”, opposite an image of a swallow flying.
This book does an incredible job of showing pain and struggle and being authentic about the families’ and other slaves' conditions without being too graphic for young readers.
The bell is a theme woven throughout the book as a symbol of the master’s oppression and the slaves’ lack of autonomy, with the lack of a bell representing freedom or at least reprieve. The bell means they work. Sunday pointedly starts with “No bell” as it is the one day the slaves do not have to work. Another way this is emphasized is that they hope Ben is free and for him there are “No more bells”. The book ends with the girl standing next to the bell and the word “Monday”, showing that she is still bound by the bell, by the master. At the same time, there is a sense of hope with the swallow flying across the opposite page. Perhaps it represents Ben’s freedom, perhaps it represents the girl’s future liberation.
The book integrates period language into the text, such as “young’uns”, which lends to the feeling of authenticity and immersion in the setting. The clothes and setting also immerse readers in the historical setting.
Overall, this is a great historical fiction book for children.
The Bell Rings tells the story of a slave family from the point of view of their daughter, whose name is never revealed. Each day begins the same: the bell rings, Daddy gathers wood, Mama cooks, and the adults and older children go to work in the fields. One day the girl’s brother, Ben, gifts her a doll made of twigs and cloth. The girl remarks that it “must have come from the master’s house” and she cherishes it. The days are the same until one day, Ben and his friends run away. In the wake of their escape, there is anxiety among Mama, Daddy, and the other slaves. Overseer hits Mama and Daddy. A few days later, the Overseer finds Ben’s friends and whips them. While this is not shown visually, the text tells us what happened and we see vicious-looking dogs barking and riled up. Sunday there is no bell and the slaves gather to hear one of them preach about Moses and being free. The girl and her family pray that Ben made it and is “free like the birds. Free like Moses.” The book ends with an illustration of the girl and the word “Monday”, opposite an image of a swallow flying.
This book does an incredible job of showing pain and struggle and being authentic about the families’ and other slaves' conditions without being too graphic for young readers.
The bell is a theme woven throughout the book as a symbol of the master’s oppression and the slaves’ lack of autonomy, with the lack of a bell representing freedom or at least reprieve. The bell means they work. Sunday pointedly starts with “No bell” as it is the one day the slaves do not have to work. Another way this is emphasized is that they hope Ben is free and for him there are “No more bells”. The book ends with the girl standing next to the bell and the word “Monday”, showing that she is still bound by the bell, by the master. At the same time, there is a sense of hope with the swallow flying across the opposite page. Perhaps it represents Ben’s freedom, perhaps it represents the girl’s future liberation.
The book integrates period language into the text, such as “young’uns”, which lends to the feeling of authenticity and immersion in the setting. The clothes and setting also immerse readers in the historical setting.
Overall, this is a great historical fiction book for children.
October 18, 2019
An unusual children's book in that it depicts slavery in a very frank, unvarnished way, from the point of view of an enslaved child. At first, I was taken aback at the strong words and content--whips, guns, overseer--but upon reflection, I think the matter-0f-fact presentation was appropriate: these were common elements of their everyday life. The repetition of their daily routine was effective. The openendedness was also perfect for this story of an enslaved boy running for freedom because his family is left in the same position of not knowing for sure what has happened to their son. My only objection is to calling the characters "slaves", as if this was their identity; but perhaps this was deliberate and meant to convey that this is how they were impersonally and incompletely viewed by others. This book definitely offers a lesson in "read the book before you share it with a child/class".
June 29, 2019
This is beautiful. Every day, the bell rings on the plantation. Every day, Daddy gathers wood and Mama cooks and then all the slaves go to work in the fields and the young narrator goes to Miss Sarah Mae's with all the other children. Then one day, her older brother Ben runs away with two others. The two other boys are caught and whipped, but her brother doesn't return. We see the sorrow and longing for her brother (and her parents for their son) but also the hope that he has made it safely to freedom and maybe, just maybe, some day they will too. This book is packed with emotion...both the text and illustrations contribute to the anguish and hope felt by this family.
June 17, 2019
This reminds me a lot of My Name Is James Madison Hemings: a picture book about slaves, poetically told and beautifully illustrated, that doesn't pull punches. It's not an easy book, but it is still appropriate for children. I think it could even be used by older children, especially in a classroom setting.
February 7, 2020
Very well-written picture book about slavery in the US south, from a slave child's point of view. Excellent choice for an elementary teacher to use with intermediate grades while teaching American history and/or the Civil War. Clear message with not too many words.
February 22, 2023
I read this to my second grade class. We are studying the civil war in our curriculum. This book makes plantation life from an enslaved child’s point of view come alive in a way that speaks to people of all ages. But it is very carefully written to include important details but still be accessible to elementary aged students. They really related to the little girl. I loved it!!
June 25, 2019
Chilling and hopeful.
September 19, 2019
Keeping the focus of the text and illustrations on the family praying for their son, amidst their repetitive days, made this all the more compelling.
October 25, 2019
Powerful
January 1, 2024
Whew! This highlights the heartbreaking daily monotony of a group of captured ancestors and the struggle for freedom.
April 22, 2022
This suspenseful, moving work of historical fiction will sensitize its readers to some of the daily realities of life for an African-American slave: monotony, fear, and slivers of hope. A Corretta Scott King Award winner for its stunning illustrations, The Bell Rang has a simple text for beginning readers but themes and writing features to teach a much older elementary audience, making it highly accessible and versatile in the elementary classroom. This text would make an excellent addition to an independent reading selection, and good fodder for a whole-class analysis and discussion of the slavery-era of American history.
November 19, 2022
Tale of a little slave girl that experiences the chaos of her brother fleeing to freedom without telling his family anything.
November 15, 2019
An engaging story with beautifully expressive art.
January 17, 2019
This is a story that will stay with me for some time. A slavery story about when a family member runs and the family left behind. Not a word is wasted in this story. Illustrations are amazing.
February 1, 2019
Through the eyes of a young African-American girl growing up in slavery, Ransome describes the emotional journey of the family members left behind after one of them makes a bold bid for freedom. Moving in its sparsity, the simple text captures the uncertainty and monotonous routine of plantation life.
January 29, 2019
This is a gorgeous gut-punch of a book. Poetic, devastating, and meant to be read in between the lines. Appropriate for elementary students, especially upper elementary students (and, heck, even middle schoolers and beyond) to help cultivate empathy for the experiences of enslaved people and families, especially enslaved children.
February 26, 2020
Powerful story about a young girl's life as a slave. The master's bell rings on Monday and they all move to their roles. Tuesday brings more of the same but the text changes subtly. Same on Wednesday, etc. It's only near the end of the week that readers see why the interactions with her older brother changed. He and two friends ran away. The friends were caught but he was not. Readers read about the consequences and punishments for those left behind and those who were caught. The book ends powerfully simply with "Monday..."
Vividly colored and detailed illustrations accompany the text.
Vividly colored and detailed illustrations accompany the text.
February 2, 2019
Such lovely art that give some glow to the undertones in the skin and render emotions so well. And such beautiful, sad, hopeful lyrical writing! What a wonderful little book that captures the nuance of family during slavery.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews