Stories & Thyme

making space for creativity

Menu
  • About
    • Amy’s Favorite Things
  • Connect
  • Eat
  • Motherhood
  • Move
  • Pray
  • Read
    • Amy’s Favorite Books
    • Children’s Picture Book Lists
    • Favorite Children’s Christmas Books
    • Favorite Christian Children’s Bibles & Books
    • Favorite Early Readers & First Chapter Books
    • Favorite Resources for the 3Rs – Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
    • Newbery Award Book Reviews
Menu

Newbery Review #102 (Freewater, Luqman-Dawson, 2023)

Posted on April 30, 2023January 18, 2024 by Amy Rogers Hays

2023 Newbery winner (I know, you thought I was done with them!), Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson is a tale about Homer and Ada, two enslaved children running away from a plantation to a secret swamp maroon community called Freewater. Told from various points of view, Freewater follows many characters traveling to and from the maroon community through the swamp, dodging snakes and slave hunters through dangerous paths with sharpened stakes, homemade canoes, and sky bridges. The book has five main narrators: Homer, who along with his little sister Ada have only known slavery, Anna an enslaved friend who they had hoped to bring along, but along with their mother, Rose, got left behind, Nora a white girl with a large congenital birthmark ignored by her plantation owning parents, Billy a runaway slave who came to Freewater years before with his father but memories of his enslaved past still haunt him, and Sanzi a wild and bold girl who has only known the maroon community and dreams of adventure. Together Homer, Ada, Billy, Sanzi, her beautiful older sister Juna, and angry, dangerous Ferdinand go back to try and rescue Rose and Nora from the plantation in the middle of a wedding.

What I liked. I thought that the ending (without going into spoilers!) was really strong. Every character (and there were a lot!) got to grow, face challenges, and really have a satisfying ending. I love a good ending, and this was so skillfully done. Also the wild and wonderful Suleman was a sort of Robinhood of Freewater and was such a great character. (Also, I listened to this book on audio, narrated by Cary Hite and Sisi Aisha Johnson, which was very well done.)

What I found interesting. So many details of enslaved and maroon community life were fascinating, like the role of written passes or ways in which the swamp community created what they needed. The book seemed really well researched, and had a great “Note from the Author” at the end with a lot of facts about what we do know about these maroon communities and the historians who have researched them.

What were some limitations.  The only thing that I can think of in this category is that while there was a description of religion within the swamp community, it seemed a little thin. Mrs. Light presided over Freewater’s own kind of religion that involved using the swamp’s plants and herbs for medicine and praying and thanking the swamp as a kind of mother goddess for protection. This seemed like a very authentic representation of how through the history of enslaved African people in America they kept African belief systems alive and combined them with herbal medicine, charms, and conjurers. But there wasn’t any discussion of how Christianity (or Islam) was different from those beliefs, or was combined in a synchronous way. I would have thought that Homer would have been surprised by the Freewater belief practices when he came there. But, the book did deal with so many things already, that perhaps getting bogged down in that discussion would have taken away from the plot.

Similarity to other Newbery winners. Other Newberies that specifically deal with freeing enslaved people include Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates (1951) in which the enslaved Amos is able to purchase his freedom, The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox (1974) at the very end of which Jesse helps (or at least doesn’t hinder) an enslaved boy escaping into the woods of Mississippi with hopes of heading north, A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl’s Journal by Joan Blos (1980) in which Catherine leaves supplies for a slave traveling along the underground railroad north, I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño (1966) who is an enslaved Spanish artist who is granted his freedom at the end of his artist master’s life, and Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith (1958) about the Civil War including some former enslaved characters. That’s kind of a lot, isn’t it? And even though Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (1977) is a book about the 1930s (not during the time of slavery), the strong parents, and a semi-separate but precarious black community in the South reminded me of Freewater. In terms of a band of somewhat misfit kids undertaking a journey and a crazy endeavor, that reminded me of recent Newberry winners like Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool (2011), Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo (2014), Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (2018), and The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera (2022).

What it teaches me as a writer.  I was so impressed by how Amina Luqman-Dawson had such a big, rich cast of characters, some of whom were downright unlikeable, worked together, and came together in a great ending. About half way through the book, I wasn’t sure about the character of Sanzi. She was so impulsive and made such a mess of things, that while I did like her, she was kind of frustrating and I cringed a lot during her chapters. But by the end of the book she had grown so much, (and grown on me I guess) that I really liked Sanzi, and she had a great ending. I had a similar experience with grumpy Ferdinand.

Have you read Freewater? What are your favorite historical fiction books, especially ones that take you into little known communities or experiences?

*Note* This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means if you were to buy a book, I’d get a tiny commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting Stories & Thyme!*

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome!

PageLines- amyrogershays.JPG
I'm so glad you're here! I'm Amy - Anglican, mother of two, lover of trees, coffee, & fairy tales. Here's where I write about making space for creativity and filling our days with long walks, good food, morning prayers, and the reading and writing of good books. Drop me a line at AmyRogersHays (at) gmail.com.

follow us in feedly

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Instagram

instagram walk in snow

Follow Me on Instagram!

Recent Posts

  • Maundy Thursday: A Liturgy for Children and Families
  • Family Easter Basket Ideas: Books, Games, and Really Good Chocolate
  • Newbery Review #104 (The First State of Being, Kelly, 2025)
  • 40 Books for My 40th Birthday: A 2024 Reading List
  • Family Christmas Letter 2024

Twitter

spring robin outline on budding branches Follow me on Twitter!

Categories

  • Anxiety
  • baby
  • Board Games
  • Book Lists
  • Children's Spiritual Formation
  • Connect
  • Creativity
  • Eat
  • Family Stories
  • Fun with Kids
  • Liturgical year
  • Love & Marriage
  • Make
  • Motherhood
  • Move
  • Newbery Book Reviews
  • Order
  • paleo
  • Pray
  • pregnancy
  • Read
  • Reflections
  • Rest
  • Self-Care
  • simplify
  • Toddler
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • walks in the woods
  • Wisconsin Beauty
  • Write

Favorite Posts

natural haircare

Make Natural Hair Care: Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar & Vodka-Gelatin Hair Gel

  homemade deodorant

Make Homemade Deodorant For Sensitive Skin: Bentonite Clay and Baking Soda

  college advice

Advice to Future College Students: 10 Things I Wish I Had Done More

  belonging to a church

Belonging to A Church

  dyslexia

Reflections on Dyslexia: May B. A Novel by Caroline Starr Rose

  leaving grad school

A Defining Retreat: Deciding to Leave Grad School

  love story

The Beginning of a Love Story In Honor of Anniversary Weekend

  breakfast

Scramble Up A Simple Paleo Breakfast

  cake

Bake Up A Flourless Chocolate Cake

  comfortable and presentable

Organize Bookshelves by Color

  trees

My Life In Trees

  elimination diet

An Elimination Diet Figure Out What Foods Are Making You Sick

  goodbye letter

A Goodbye Letter to Our Church: Leaving Those You Love

  paleo blended chai recipe

Paleo Chai: A Blended Coconut Oil & Butter Recipe

  Prayer book

16 Online Resources: Liturgical Prayer Apps & Websites

 

Archives

Welcome!


I’m so glad you’re here! I’m Amy – Anglican, mother of two, lover of trees, coffee, & fairy tales. Here’s where I write about making space for creativity and filling our days with long walks, good food, morning prayers, and the reading and writing of good books. Drop me a line at AmyRogersHays (at) gmail.com.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 744 other subscribers

Instagram

instagram walk in snow

Follow Me on Instagram!

Search

Recent Posts

Maundy Thursday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Maundy Thursday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Family Easter Basket Ideas: Books, Games, and Really Good Chocolate

Family Easter Basket Ideas: Books, Games, and Really Good Chocolate

Newbery Review #104 (The First State of Being, Kelly, 2025)

Newbery Review #104 (The First State of Being, Kelly, 2025)

40 Books for My 40th Birthday: A 2024 Reading List

40 Books for My 40th Birthday: A 2024 Reading List

Family Christmas Letter 2024

Family Christmas Letter 2024

Recipe for a Birthday Hike

Recipe for a Birthday Hike

An Invitation to October Rest: A Devotional

An Invitation to October Rest: A Devotional

Fun for Two: 5 Date Night Board & Card Games

Fun for Two: 5 Date Night Board & Card Games

Our Board-Game Loving, Third Grade Son’s Top 5 List of Favorite Board Games

Our Board-Game Loving, Third Grade Son’s Top 5 List of Favorite Board Games

Our First Grader’s Top Board Games: 5 No-Reading-Required, Travel Friendly, Family Card Games

Our First Grader’s Top Board Games: 5 No-Reading-Required, Travel Friendly, Family Card Games

5 Games to Start a Board Game Collection

5 Games to Start a Board Game Collection

5 Tips for Family Board Gaming

5 Tips for Family Board Gaming

40 of the Best Picture Books for 5 Year Olds

40 of the Best Picture Books for 5 Year Olds

Newbery Review #103 (The Eyes and the Impossible, Egger, 2024)

Newbery Review #103 (The Eyes and the Impossible, Egger, 2024)

Ash Wednesday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Ash Wednesday: A Liturgy for Children and Families

Ways to Feel a Little Better or a Little More Peaceful

Ways to Feel a Little Better or a Little More Peaceful

How to Find Great Children’s Books: 20 Guide Books, Books Lists, and Web Resources

How to Find Great Children’s Books: 20 Guide Books, Books Lists, and Web Resources

39 Books for my 39th Birthday: A 2023 Reading List

39 Books for my 39th Birthday: A 2023 Reading List

Family Christmas Letter 2023

Family Christmas Letter 2023

A Simple Home Christmas Pageant Script

A Simple Home Christmas Pageant Script

Books & Boots for Saint Nicholas Day: A List of our Family’s Favorite Christmas Picture and Read Aloud Books

Books & Boots for Saint Nicholas Day: A List of our Family’s Favorite Christmas Picture and Read Aloud Books

40 Great Picture Books for 4 Year Olds

40 Great Picture Books for 4 Year Olds

Newbery Review #102 (Freewater, Luqman-Dawson, 2023)

Newbery Review #102 (Freewater, Luqman-Dawson, 2023)

The Best Children’s Bibles: 30+ suggestions from Board Book Bibles to Illustrated Study Bibles

The Best Children’s Bibles: 30+ suggestions from Board Book Bibles to Illustrated Study Bibles

An Epiphany Liturgy for Children and Families

An Epiphany Liturgy for Children and Families

Categories

  • Anxiety
  • baby
  • Board Games
  • Book Lists
  • Children's Spiritual Formation
  • Connect
  • Creativity
  • Eat
  • Family Stories
  • Fun with Kids
  • Liturgical year
  • Love & Marriage
  • Make
  • Motherhood
  • Move
  • Newbery Book Reviews
  • Order
  • paleo
  • Pray
  • pregnancy
  • Read
  • Reflections
  • Rest
  • Self-Care
  • simplify
  • Toddler
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • walks in the woods
  • Wisconsin Beauty
  • Write

Favorite Posts

natural haircare

Make
Natural Hair Care: Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar & Vodka-Gelatin Hair Gel

 

homemade deodorant

Make
Homemade Deodorant For Sensitive Skin: Bentonite Clay and Baking Soda

 

college advice

Advice to Future College Students: 10 Things I Wish I Had Done More

 

belonging to a church

Belonging to A Church

 

dyslexia

Reflections on Dyslexia:
May B. A Novel by Caroline Starr Rose

 

leaving grad school

A Defining Retreat: Deciding to Leave Grad School

 

love story

The Beginning of a Love Story In Honor of Anniversary Weekend

 

breakfast

Scramble Up A Simple Paleo Breakfast

 

cake

Bake Up A Flourless Chocolate Cake

 

comfortable and presentable

Organize Bookshelves by Color

 

trees

My Life In Trees

 

elimination diet

An Elimination Diet Figure Out What Foods Are Making You Sick

 

goodbye letter

A Goodbye Letter to Our Church: Leaving Those You Love

 

paleo blended chai recipe

Paleo Chai: A Blended Coconut Oil & Butter Recipe

 

Prayer book

16 Online Resources: Liturgical Prayer Apps & Websites

 

© 2025 Stories & Thyme | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme