Captive

Book by Hansen, Joyce

Grade 5-8-This novel, inspired by a journal written in the late 1700s, is about the capture of Kofi, a 12-year-old son of an Ashanti chief. The boy is taken and subsequently sold after his father is betrayed and murdered by a trusted family slave. He makes two friends on the trip across the ocean; one is a white indentured servant, the other is another black slave. Once they reach America, they are all sold to a Puritan farmer in Massachusetts. (He is never called a Puritan, however, and children may have difficulty figuring out why the characters go to a long, low building once a week, as it is never referred to as a religious meeting house). Eventually, the boys run away. They are chased onto a ship and discovered by its captain, who agrees to help them. Readers might hope for a description of Kofi's return to Africa, as it is clear from the prologue that he does return, but it is not mentioned again until the epilogue. His life in Africa is presented as both orderly and good; the discussion of a black man's involvement in the selling of others of his race is handled well; and the topic of slavery in New England is one not often discussed. Unfortunately, the sense of passage of time is unbalanced as winter lasts three chapters and spring and summer last two paragraphs, and the story seems to take a long time getting started. Nevertheless, this book may be worth purchasing in support of units on slavery.
Sandra J. Langlais, Newport Public Library, RI
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.