Paula Fox
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| Front cover |
Date read: 1 - 4 December 2019
Length: 143 pages
Published: 1973 (1974 in UK)
A young boy named Jessie is taken and forced on the slave ship The Moonlight. He is to play music on his pipe to make the slaves dance and keep them exercised. He learns about what ship life is like, and the true nature of slavery. All he wants to do is go home.
Set around 1840, this is a haunting tale of the realities of what it might have been like aboard just one slave trading ship. It makes you realise how far we've come in terms of equal rights, although we still have a ways to go!
I feel sorry for Jessie. He must have been very scared, he was only 13 when he was kidnapped and forced aboard the ship. He was very brave and stood up for himself where appropriate.
Luckily there was one decent man aboard the ship, Benjamin Stout. He looked out for Jessie and helped him when he could. He had someone he could talk to and I think that helped keep him sane.
It was a little bit strange reading a story with a few pictures through it, but I enjoyed it! It's interesting to see how the image in my mind compares with that of the picture in the book.
A thought provoking story.
Overall rating
Thanks,
The Wee Librocubicularist
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