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Freedom Bird: A Tale of Hope and Courage
“Powerful storytelling and immersive art.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Vibrant writing and magical realism lift this story to one of triumph.” — Publishers Weekly
“Nolen's lively prose style recalls the richness of the oral tradition in this tale of triumphant courage and abiding hope.” — The Horn Book
“ A moving choice for children’s collections.” — Booklist
A Parents’ Choice Silver Award Recipient
In this inspiring story in the tradition of American black folktales, an enslaved brother and sister are inspired by a majestic and mysterious bird to escape to freedom in this dramatic and unforgettable picture book.
There was nothing civil about that war . They should have called it what it a big, bad war.
Brother and sister Millicent and John are slaves on Simon Plenty’s plantation and have suffered one hurt and heartbreak after another. Their parents had told them old tales of how their ancestors had flown away to freedom just as free and easy as a bird. Millicent and John hold these stories in their hearts long after their parents are gone. “Maybe such a time will come for you,” their parents said. Then one day a mysterious bird appears in their lives. The bird transforms them and gives them the courage to set their plan into motion and escape to freedom.
“Vibrant writing and magical realism lift this story to one of triumph.” — Publishers Weekly
“Nolen's lively prose style recalls the richness of the oral tradition in this tale of triumphant courage and abiding hope.” — The Horn Book
“ A moving choice for children’s collections.” — Booklist
A Parents’ Choice Silver Award Recipient
In this inspiring story in the tradition of American black folktales, an enslaved brother and sister are inspired by a majestic and mysterious bird to escape to freedom in this dramatic and unforgettable picture book.
There was nothing civil about that war . They should have called it what it a big, bad war.
Brother and sister Millicent and John are slaves on Simon Plenty’s plantation and have suffered one hurt and heartbreak after another. Their parents had told them old tales of how their ancestors had flown away to freedom just as free and easy as a bird. Millicent and John hold these stories in their hearts long after their parents are gone. “Maybe such a time will come for you,” their parents said. Then one day a mysterious bird appears in their lives. The bird transforms them and gives them the courage to set their plan into motion and escape to freedom.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2020
4 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 7, 2020
Overly poetic proses obscure an otherwise inspirational tale.
March 10, 2020
It is a story deep in the hearts of slaves who told these stories of flying away to freedom. Remember Virginia Hamilton's The People Could Fly and the gospel "I'll Fly Away" which you can listen to here? Jerdine Nolen has written a trio of books starting with Big Jabe, then this one, finally Thunder Rose all connected to slaves' dreams of freedom. This one shares the story of a brother and sister who cared for a large bird that flew over them out in the fields, and that the overseer struck down with his whip. It's an imagining of their caring for that bird, a caring for their dream. When they were nearly caught with the bird, they fled to the west. James E. Ransome's beautiful paintings illustrate the story with emotion and care. In the end, Nolen writes: "It is sometimes said that night is the shadow of a broad-winged bird, as big as the world itself comes gently and quietly soaring in on the day to swallow the daylight whole. Like freedom, night is something to wonder about." Stories are told, and the truth is those children hid ahead of a great storm and made it all the way to the west.
I wonder if there could be a study of stories told to lift people's spirits, to help them survive, like this one? It's a beautiful book. Jerdine Nolen has added a list of books for further reading.
I wonder if there could be a study of stories told to lift people's spirits, to help them survive, like this one? It's a beautiful book. Jerdine Nolen has added a list of books for further reading.
September 20, 2020
Millicent and John Wheeler are alone together as slaves on a North Carolina plantation when their parents are sold. One day a bird is attacked by a cruel overseer, and the children are reminded of the stories they've been told of freedom as a bird.
Beautiful storytelling. Beautiful illustrations.
Beautiful storytelling. Beautiful illustrations.
December 27, 2021
Excellent picture book folktale of a brother and sister whose parents have been sold from the plantation they are slaves on and how they survive together. Beautiful lyrical writing.
January 29, 2020
Gorgeous storytelling by Jerdine Nolen is matched by beautiful illustrations by James E. Ransome. Nolen's lyrical text directly addresses the reader, telling the story of two children who are enslaved and alone after their parents are sold away. They rescue an large injured bird, nursing it back to health until the bird is discovered by the overseer. As a storm whirls both the bird and the children escape, their story becoming a legend.
Ransome's full page illustrations are created with richly saturated colors and dramatic perspectives. This will be a wonderful book to read aloud to kids.
Ransome's full page illustrations are created with richly saturated colors and dramatic perspectives. This will be a wonderful book to read aloud to kids.
July 12, 2020
3.5/5 for this one. The illustrations were beautiful and very reminiscent of James Ransome’s other books like “Before she was Harriet.” The text is very poetic in nature or maybe it is the oral storytelling cadence but I think it will come across as confusing to a lot of younger readers who may pick this up as a picture book. It is very text dense so one that would take a while to read out loud and could for sure be used in middle grades. It is overall definitely an age-appropriate way to talk about slavery with young children. It makes mention of the parents being sold, a cruel plantation field head, and the brother going to a neighbor farm to work without very many graphic descriptions. He is handcuffed to the cart so the illustrations tell the story as much as the words. I do think my favorite illustration is the one where the bird has the wings open and Millicent is standing in front of it like she is flying and those are her wings. It is in the tradition of folklore and I guess is part of a series of three books but I have not read her other two connected books. I don’t know if this should be in the regular picture book section or in the folklore section since it is at not actually a folktale but just based on the tradition of African folktales and the idea of flying as a symbol. The cover is absolutely beautiful.
February 5, 2026
Freedom Bird: A Tale of Hope and Courage is a moving and beautifully crafted picture book that blends historical reality with the lyrical power of African American folklore. Jerdine Nolen’s prose draws deeply from the oral tradition, transforming pain, loss, and endurance into a story of courage and possibility. James E. Ransome’s evocative illustrations amplify the emotional weight of the narrative, immersing readers in both the harshness of enslavement and the dreamlike promise of freedom.
What makes this book especially powerful is its ability to communicate complex historical truths to young readers without diminishing their emotional depth. Through Millicent and John’s journey, Freedom Bird honors ancestral stories of flight, resistance, and hope using magical realism not as escape, but as strength. The mysterious bird becomes a symbol of inherited courage, imagination, and the belief that freedom is possible even in the darkest circumstances. This is a story that educates, uplifts, and stays with readers long after the final page, making it an essential addition to children’s collections, classrooms, and family libraries.
What makes this book especially powerful is its ability to communicate complex historical truths to young readers without diminishing their emotional depth. Through Millicent and John’s journey, Freedom Bird honors ancestral stories of flight, resistance, and hope using magical realism not as escape, but as strength. The mysterious bird becomes a symbol of inherited courage, imagination, and the belief that freedom is possible even in the darkest circumstances. This is a story that educates, uplifts, and stays with readers long after the final page, making it an essential addition to children’s collections, classrooms, and family libraries.
February 14, 2021
I picked this up out of interest in Jerdine Nolen. Not until the end does it become clear that this story is intended to tie into Thunder Rose (which I've read) and Big Jabe (which I haven't). But this one does not have the full throttle Tall Tale vibe that I found appealing in Thunder Rose: it's more of a magical realism. But some very real depictions of slavery.
I appreciated the frank portrayals of Millicent and John, whose parents are sold away and who experience daily hard labor and fear. The bird, both physically present and as a metaphor, did its job in assisting the two siblings to freedom. This was a solid standalone picture book, but I am still not sure how I feel about its connection to Thunder Rose.
I appreciated the frank portrayals of Millicent and John, whose parents are sold away and who experience daily hard labor and fear. The bird, both physically present and as a metaphor, did its job in assisting the two siblings to freedom. This was a solid standalone picture book, but I am still not sure how I feel about its connection to Thunder Rose.
July 4, 2022
“Samuel and Maggie had sown the seeds of freedom in their children’s minds and hearts.”
The parents of an enslaved family, Samuel and Maggie, teach their children about the desire for freedom. Millicent and John carried the dream of freedom with them through difficult times, including when their parents were sold to other plantations. One day, the overseer knocks a bird out of the sky, ordering Millicent and John to leave it alone. But the two come back at night to save the bird and that bird helps to enable their flight to freedom.
An author’s note indicates that this story is the combination of three other stories: Big Jabe, Freedom Bird, and Thunder Rose.
The parents of an enslaved family, Samuel and Maggie, teach their children about the desire for freedom. Millicent and John carried the dream of freedom with them through difficult times, including when their parents were sold to other plantations. One day, the overseer knocks a bird out of the sky, ordering Millicent and John to leave it alone. But the two come back at night to save the bird and that bird helps to enable their flight to freedom.
An author’s note indicates that this story is the combination of three other stories: Big Jabe, Freedom Bird, and Thunder Rose.
June 3, 2020
I love the VOICE in Freedom Bird. I love the spunk of Millicent, the mysterious bird, and the storm that "rose out of a calm and peaceful sky".
One of my favorite passages: "It is sometimes said that night is the shadow of a broad-winged bird, as big as the world itself comes gently and quietly soaring in on the day to swallow the daylight whole Like freedom, night is something to wonder about."
One of my favorite passages: "It is sometimes said that night is the shadow of a broad-winged bird, as big as the world itself comes gently and quietly soaring in on the day to swallow the daylight whole Like freedom, night is something to wonder about."
February 3, 2020
Lovely folktale-based picture book set during the time of the Underground Railroad. For many groups of kids, you would need to give some context before reading this at a story time, but it would be good to use as an example of a folktale. Would also note that some kids might find the big, mysterious bird creepy
3.5
3.5
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February 4, 2020Oh, could Jerdine Nolen just sit and tell me stories all day long? I just love her writing. With rich tall-tale-like conversational tones, Nolen spins the tale of two enslaved siblings who dream of escaping as they nurse a strange injured bird back to health. Based in African American folklore, this book is a prequel to Nolen's Thunder Rose (which I also love).
October 13, 2022
A large bird inspires a brother and sister to run away to freedom. I felt like I was missing some more story, so when the author's note brought up two of Nolen's other books, it made sense. This would be a great read aloud because there's so much to talk about: the flying metaphor, night/darkness, and storytelling as a way to remember and to inspire.
January 31, 2020
A thoughtful story, well rendered. Would love to re-read it with the other books about this family. Ransome's illustrations are, as always, dramatically composed and beautifully executed. Highly recommended for ages 6-9.
February 9, 2020
Guzel bir Afrika masali adaptasyonu. Ates basi masal anlatimina da yer verdigi icin kalbimi caldi. Yardimci devasa kus motifimiz guzel yansitilmis ancak ben bunun kac yas grubuna uygun oldugunu cozemedim. Pek surukleyici degil.
February 21, 2020
Having just read The People Could Fly (Hamilton) with 3rd graders, this story is a powerful companion. The mysterious bird in this original tale inspired by numerous stories is both fearsome and beautiful.
June 26, 2020
A beautiful story inspired by African-American folk tales and real events from history. I loved the story of 2 children embracing the lessons taught by their parents and relying on hope to give them the courage to seek their freedom.
November 2, 2020
I liked this but I thought it was going to get into magical realism a bit more so I was surprised when it didn't. It seemed to end abruptly, but according to the backmatter, it's book 2 of a three book series, so...
January 10, 2024
Absolutely stunning illustrations but the text didn’t work for me - a little obscuring. I know that the oral storytelling cadences were being aimed for but I think it ended up being neither one thing or the other.
Book #63 of my project to read more children's books.
Book #63 of my project to read more children's books.
January 15, 2020
A vibrant, inspiring story in the tradition of American black folktales about an enslaved brother and sister who are inspired by a majestic and mysterious bird to escape to freedom.
January 30, 2020
Two young slaves rescue an unusual bird that ends up inspiring and helping them escape to freedom.
February 3, 2020
For Nolen to write this as a bridge between her other books and as a folk tale blows my mind. Loved it. Wish I could tell it as a traditional story (but I can't).
February 4, 2020
Love the oral storytelling cadence of the text, the illustrations are rich portraits
March 7, 2020
Heavily worded prose overwhelms an otherwise beautiful story.
March 13, 2020
A solid book that brings a glimpse into a part of history that is difficult to teach. Beautiful illustrations and a moving storyline. I really enjoyed this book!
April 28, 2020
The message and story are so important! But the words used are so advanced.
July 8, 2020
Flight to freedom. Slavery. Storyteller.
4.5
4.5
August 8, 2020
I like that this was based on a folktale, but it was definitely text-heavy considering the targeted audience - I could've done with either more story or less to balance it out.
October 14, 2020
An elementary picture book about two slaves who take in an injured bird and the journey to freedom it leads them on.
October 21, 2020
Very ponderous prose more of a 2nd-4th grade historical fiction in picture book form.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews