Picture Book 4: Big Jabe

Author: Jerdine Nolen

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Genre: Traditional Literature

Subgenre: Tall Tale

Themes: Slavery and freedom, the importance of strong character, always doing your best work, using your own means to help others

Characters:

~Primary: Jabe, Addy

~Secondary: Mr. Plenty, Mr. Sorenson, Pot-Tim, Sweetie Belle, Jubal, Lester, George, Momma Mary

Date of Publication: 2000

Publishing Company: Lothrop, Lee, and Shepard Books

Summary:  While fishing one day, A young slave named Addy finds a baby boy in a basket, but this is no ordinary child.  Jabe, as the boy is called, grows to a man with the strength of fifty in just a few short months.  Other mysterious events take place around Jabe, and when the slaves on the plantation begin to disappear, Addy is sure that Jabe is the one spiriting slaves away to freedom.

Recommendations: This is a good book for introducing the history of slavery to children ages five and older.  As a young child, the idea of slavery was hard to grasp, but this book introduces terms and emotions appropriate for young children without underplaying the gravity and depravity of slavery.