Product Description

Slavery still exists in some parts of the world, even in the year 2000. In Sudan, tens of thousands of men, women, and children of the Dinka and Nuba tribes are regularly captured, taken from their homes and families, and forced into hard labor. Based on a true story and real-life contemporary events, this novel tells how a group of students in Denver, Colorado, learns of the atrocities in Sudan, and how they begin to make a difference--raising money to "redeem" slaves and educating others about this dire situation. Award-winning author Sonia Levitin juxtaposes the safe and secure world of an American classroom with the severe hardship of the Dinka people, making Dream Freedom a book that will raise consciousness around the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1322768 in Books
• Published on: 2001-02-01
• Released on: 2001-01-12
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In 17 self-contained chapters, Levitin (The Cure; Escape from Egypt) vividly depicts the harsh reality of modern-day slavery in Africa. The book begins on familiar territory, an American classroom, where grade-schooler Marcus learns of the atrocities occurring in Sudan. Then alternating chapters include vignettes set in the Sudan itself, with first-person accounts from villagers like the once-beautiful Dabora who has been stolen from her family to serve as a slave. Inspired by their teacher, Marcus and his classmates raise money to buy liberty for Dinka slaves ("The price is equal to about two goatsAin our money, fifty dollars," says his teacher). The stories set in the Sudan convey a range of experiences and images of terror, yearning despair and hope: Alier, a northern Sudanese, is sent to study in Arab schools to learn their ways, but must return home to his father, a chief, after their small village is ravaged by soldiers; "lucky" Aziz, the son of a wealthy Arab businessman, experiences an initiation to manhood (seeing his father buy and beat his slaves) that leaves an indelible mark; and Majok and his nameless contact take enormous risks to aid refugees. Though the story's moral at times overpowers the volume and the construction may be hard for some to follow, the author's inspirational telling leaves readers with a strong political message tied to Mother Teresa's gentle appeal (and the classroom's mantra): to "do small things with great love." Ages 10-up. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9-In 1997, a Denver fifth-grade class learned that chattel slavery still exists in Sudan, and began a campaign to raise money to free the enslaved. Their crusade is the inspiration for Levitin's moving narrative. Marcus, a boy who dreams of freedom from his cramped city apartment in California, becomes involved in the cause through the efforts of his teacher. The story of his dawning understanding that there are more fundamental freedoms weaves in and out of chapters that tell the stories of Sudanese slaves, their relatives, and others affected by slavery. The slave Dabora sings her song of longing for her rightful name and her people; her daughter longs to buy her back. Koor tells how a boyhood friend, shunned for working in town, misses his tribal initiation, but not the deadly battle that follows in the continuing civil war. Alier and Majok leave their rural villages for education, but don't forsake their tribal responsibilities. Rosha and Rola take pride in their discovery of their black heritage and their father's role in the buy-back program while Aziz recoils from his first slave-buying trip with his father. Bit by bit, the author builds up the picture; the result is an intense portrayal of the complex pattern of Sudanese society today and the issues surrounding buying back slaves. A slow beginning and the complex construction may deter some independent readers, but this book would be ideal for classroom use, and it deserves a librarian's helping hand.
Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 5-9. Based on contemporary events, this eye-opening novel focuses on Sudanese slaves, and the efforts of an American fifth-grade class to free them. The heartwrenching, often brutal experiences of the Dinka and Nuba tribes are portrayed through multiple viewpoints of characters who learn the grim realities of oppression: the enslaved, the abandoned, the freedom fighters, and an American inner-city youth who learns of the situation in class and is inspired to act. Levitin's introduction states that her aim is to "touch the conscience and stimulate action," and she succeeds, describing experiences both harsh (rapes, beatings) and poignant, unapologetically tugging heartstrings and individualizing a group tragedy. Evocative language and details convey characters' diverse daily lives, cultures, and backgrounds, heightening realism and impact. By juxtaposing the lives of American and Sudanese youth, Levitin offers perspective on what really matters: compassion, freedom, and how individuals can make a difference. Included are a brief description of Sudan's history of conflict, an afterword by the founder of the student abolitionist campaign, and an extensive bibliography. A compelling story about emotional topics --human rights and social awareness. Shelle Rosenfeld
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