Now Let Me Fly

by Dolores Johnson

The story of Minna, snatched as a child from her African village, sold to a plantation owner in America, and stripped of her name and family, offers a personal glimpse of the terrors of slavery.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Civil War

30 pages, Hardcover

First published October 29, 1993

About the author

Dolores Johnson is a journalist who has worked on newspapers in Oregon, California, Wyoming and Colorado, but she always wanted to write and sell a murder mystery. She tried writing books about an investigative reporter and a newspaper editor, but it wasn't until she wrote a book about a dry cleaner, using her background as a free-lance writer and field reporter for American Drycleaner, that she met with success.

Series:
* Mandy Dyer Mystery

Reviews

[Carolynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Minna, an African girl who is captured by a rogue African and sold into slavery. Her life is difficult and harsh, and made even worse when her husband, whom she has known since she before she was sold to her owner, is sold away. Three of her four children all are scattered as well, one being sold away, one going to Florida to live with Seminoles, one escaping to the North, and only the youngest staying at the same Plantation. The illustrations by the author eloquently portray the sorrow of the bewildered captives, and the patient determination of the slaves. This story is fiction, but it has the ring of historical verisimilitude. Pair with "Seminole Diary: Remembrances of a Slave" also by Dolores Johnson.

[Meridee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well done book. It is a historical fiction that tells more so of the full story than other books do on slavery. It was really great how the author started the book out in Africa, paying homage to the African culture that the girl was a part of. The author covered a broad range of what they went through, while keeping it suitable for students to read. It could help to give students knowledge into what happened in the past.

[Kara Laidig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story saddened me greatly. The girl was playing, not too far from her family, and got kidnapped. I can not imagine the terror she felt. This coudl be used to teach kids not to roam from their parents too far. Not only that but they would learn how cruel and heartless some people can be. Stories like these help kids learn to sympathize.

[Kinsley Troutman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now Let Me Fly The Story of a Slave Family is a book I would read to celebrate Black History Month. It is a powerful yet heartbreaking story about a family who is brought to America as slaves in 1815 to work on a plantation. The text lets the reader experience what it was like to be in slavery. Now Let Me Fly The Story of a Slave Family would be for 4th grade through 6th grade.

[Shaelynn Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Range: Middle Grade
At the beginning of the book I read the epilogue and it said how this book doesn't have a happy ending. It was right and especially with the topic of slavery I think it is important for students to see that not everyone escaped and had their happy ending.

[Jody Kyburz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fictional, introductory.

[Tauna Garvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book told the tell of a girl who got split up from her family to become a slave and her hardships through her life. It was sad but it sure does make you grateful for the time we live in now so we dont have those kinds of things going on.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

somebody takes a kid