Almost To Freedom by Omer

Title of the Book: Almost To Freedom 

Author Name: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson 

Reviewer's Name: Omer 

 Publisher: Carolrhoda Books 

Date of Publication: 2003 

 Rating: 1-5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

The book Almost To Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is told from the perspective of a doll. It belongs to a slave girl, Linda, who constructed her out of rags and thread. Linda takes the doll everywhere, including to the fields when she picks cotton. At nightfall, stories are told, about a thing called freedom and a place called the north. Lindy’s father rebels and is taken away and sold to another family down the river. Lindy is sad and gets whipped for talking to the slave owner’s son. The next night, Lindy and her mother sneak out of their shack and run into the woods. They meet Linda’s father at a safehouse, owned by friendly white people. They hide in a hidden room and sleep there. During the night, the family is woken up to the sound of slave catchers. In the commotion, the doll is left behind and has to stay in the dark room for days. Then, there is finally light. A different family enters, with another little girl. The girl spots the doll and immediately embraces it. The doll feels that the girl is frightened and scared, and is glad to be a tool to comfort her. 

The theme of this book is adaptation and love. It connects to the IB learner trait of being caring, because the doll cares for its owners, no matter who they are. There was a lot of suspense in this book, not knowing whether the characters would be caught and punished. The art style is unique and really conveys the mood of this book. The overall plot of this book is also good and meaningful, and the ending of this book is just perfect. It perfectly captures the kind nature of the doll and helps us realize that especially in hard times, empathy is needed.