  | Twice enslaved : liberty and justice for Henrietta Wood Author: Castrovilla, Selene | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
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!
| Illustrator: | Robinson, Erin K. |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (02/15/26)
Booklist (02/01/26)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/12/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 11/24/2025 In this concise biography rendered via narrative poetry, Castrovilla (Freedom’s Cost) centers Henrietta Wood (1818-1912), a Black woman who-following her emancipation, abduction, and re-enslavement-obtained the largest restitution payment ever given to a formerly enslaved person in the United States. The author employs metaphor, repetition, and other literary devices across seven straight-forward, chronological parts ("Stolen," "Hope," "Hopeless") to transport readers to "the Ohio River/ along the line between free and slave." When her enslaver loses his fortune, 14-year-old Wood believes she might finally return to her family, whom she hasn’t seen in two years. Instead, she’s taken from Louisville "down to where there was no freedom/... to Louisiana," and enslaved once more. Evocative illustrations by Robinson (Ayo’s Adventure) capture pivotal moments throughout the subject’s life, while rhythmic language describes the physical abuse Wood suffered during her enslavement. Back matter includes additional details about the abduction, Wood’s life after receiving reparations, and the significance of Juneteenth. Ages 9-12. (Feb.) - Copyright 2025
Booklist - 02/01/2026 This biography effectively demonstrates how little power people of color had in nineteenth-century America. Henrietta Wood was born into slavery, torn from her parents, taken hundreds of miles away, and passed through different owners. Miraculously, after years of having no control of her life and liberty, she was granted emancipation. She lived as a free woman in Cincinnati for five years until she was kidnapped back into slavery, enduring decades more of harsh beatings and deprivations until she was finally freed at the end of the Civil War. Taking an unprecedented risk, Wood sued for reparations; amazingly, an all-white jury found in her favor. Wood’s story is told in free verse that moves briskly, smoothly communicating historical fact, social context, physical suffering, and emotional turmoil, and deftly incorporating direct quotes from court testimony and newspaper interviews. The text also conveys Wood’s terror and lack of speaking up in her own defense, highlighting the rigged political and justice systems. Supported by beautiful, nuanced digital illustrations and substantial back matter, this fitting tribute recognizes courage in the face of an unjust system. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.
