"Here is the story of Henrietta Wood, who was enslaved twice—but who demanded justice and was awarded the largest reparations ever granted for enslavement. This nonfiction book for ages 9–12 puts a human face on the current issue of reparations.
Henrietta Wood was born enslaved. As a teen she was ripped from her family and sold. Years later, a miracle happened, and she was given freedom papers. But Henrietta’s freedom was short-lived. She was tricked back into enslavement and sent to a Mississippi cotton plantation.
On June 19, 1865—Juneteenth—she was emancipated. Finally free for good, Henrietta Wood sued the man who had kidnapped her back into enslavement—and she won! Henrietta was one of the few people in United States history to ever receive a reparation payment for slavery.
Twice Enslaved is a true story of cruelty, resilience, and ultimately triumph, told lyrically for middle-grade readers by Selene Castrovilla.
“Castrovilla’s efficient lines of verse make for a digestible, fast-paced account […] of a woman who endured injustice after injustice. Though readers will easily read this tale in a single sitting, its lessons will linger. A testament to the resilience of the human spirit.”—Kirkus Reviews"
"Did you know that George Washington had a secret? He wore glasses! While initially embarrassed by his reliance on this reading aid, Washington’s spectacles proved to be nothing short of spectacular in this charming, funny, and little-known story from American history.
The Revolutionary War was over, but Washington’s officers had not received their wages from the Continental Congress in years. Afraid they would never get their money, the officers planned to storm Congress and demand it right away. Luckily, George Washington found out about the plot just in time. He delivered a passionate speech to his men, but they were unaffected. It was only when he struggled to read aloud a letter from Congress and had to put on his glasses, that they realized how much he had sacrificed for their country along with them. The officers dropped their plan and pledged their loyalty to America and to Washington.
Selene Castrovilla’s carefully researched yet playful prose brings George Washington’s more human side to life in this humorous but important story about true American loyalty."
"George Scott peered at the nearby Union fortress. Something miraculous was taking place! Three enslaved men had entered but had not been cast out. To Scott, the fortress must be a sanctuary. A place where the three would be safe
from capture and harm—never to return to the Confederate South. But exactly why were they granted refuge?
Scott left the woods where he had been hiding and joined others in line to enter the fortress. Once inside, his knowledge of the area and the movements of the Confederate army impressed the fortress's commander, Major General Benjamin
Butler. Working together, they plotted a plan to save the fortress from enemy attack. Would the fortress survive? Would Scott survive?
Selene Castrovilla weaves a suspenseful tale revealing how two men's brave stand meant eventual freedom to thousands of African Americans and led President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation."
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