This is a slightly different take on the Henry Box Brown story, one which focuses in on the way that singing lifted his spirits and kept him strong through his ordeal. This theme running through the book lends it a touch of quirkiness that is poetic and lyrical, and gives any extra layer of language interest in its reading. I really love the illustrations - keeping to a restricted colour palete, they are simple but very beautiful and really draw the reader into the story. If you want a straighter telling of the story, go for 'Henry's Freedom Box' by Ellen Levine, but if you like a twist of the poetic in your stories, then this retelling is a clear winner. Whichever you choose, both are powerful books showing the resilience of Henry and the lengths he was prepared to go to to find freedom - used at Primary or Secondary level as introductions to the topic of slavery, they are excellent resources, and will linger long in the memories of the children they are read to.