Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson

(Hardcover, 416 pages, first published in 2022)

2023 Newbery Medal! Award-winning author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children's escape from a plantation and the many ways they find freedom.

Under the cover of night, twelve-year-old Homer flees Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, unwillingly leaving their beloved mother behind. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the swamp. In this society created by formerly enslaved people and some freeborn children, Homer finds new friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he crafts a plan to find his mother and help his new home. Loosely based on the history of maroon communities in the South, this is a striking tale of survival, adventure, friendship, and courage.

Cautions: None. See Redeemed Reader's review here.

Ages: 10-15