Unbound

By Ann Burg, Ann E. Burg

A young girl questions slavery, sparking a dangerous escape into the unknown woods.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 3,796 ratings

352 pages

$7.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Grace is thrust from the slave cabins to the Big House, where her curiosity about the injustice of slavery grows. Despite warnings to stay silent, her questions ignite a perilous journey. Forced to flee with her family into the treacherous woods, they face slave patrollers and the wild, seeking the elusive promise of freedom. Will they find sanctuary, or will the dangers of the Great Dismal Swamp prove too great? This gripping tale explores the courage and resilience of those who dared to dream of a life beyond chains.

From the publisher

From the award-winning author of All the Broken Pieces and Serafina’s Promise comes a breathtaking new novel that is her most transcendent and widely accessible work to date.The day Grace is called from the slave cabins to work in the Big House, Mama makes her promise to keep her eyes down. Uncle Jim warns her to keep her thoughts tucked private in her mind or they could bring a whole lot of trouble and pain. But the more Grace sees of the heartless Master and hateful Missus, the more a rightiness voice clamors in her head–asking how come white folks can own other people, sell them on the auction block, and separate families forever. When that voice escapes without warning, it sets off a terrible chain of events that prove Uncle Jim’s words true. Suddenly, Grace and her family must flee deep into the woods, where they brave deadly animals, slave patrollers, and the uncertainty of ever finding freedom. With candor and compassion, Ann E. Burg sheds light on a startling chapter of American history–the remarkable story of runaways who sought sanctuary in the Great Dismal Swamp–and creates a powerful testament to the right of every human to be free.

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