Common Sense Media Review
By Myiesha Speight
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Siblings escape slavery, find a home in awe-inspiring tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
FREEWATER tells the story of enslaved siblings, 12-year-old Homer and his 7-year-old sister Ada, who in their quest for freedom get separated from their mother. They escape from "slave catchers" by plunging into the river. Afterward, they meet Suleman, who takes them to the swamp community of Freewater. In Freewater, Homer and Ada have found freedom and new friends like Billy, Sanzi, and Sanzi's older sister Juna. While Homer gets used to his newfound freedom, he can't help but miss his mom and his best friend Anna, whom he left behind. Will he and his friends be able to rescue them and protect their new home from danger?
Is It Any Good?
This amazing tale of survival family and friendship will leave readers in awe. Freewater's multiple point of views and short chapters allow for a steady and engaging reading pace. The switching between points of view is never confusing, but sometimes enjoyably frustrating when a chapter ends on a cliffhanger. The book's main narrators are children, so readers see the horror of slavery through their eyes. They don't go into detail, so it's up to readers to put together the mystery of what happened. This allows for powerful scenes that can be only a few lines long with the reader filling in the rest.
While slavery is a huge part of the story, it's not the only focus. The book deals with themes of freedom, family, and friendship. There are also lighthearted moments of laughter, sibling bickering, and friends bonding. First-time author Amina Luqman-Dawson does a phenomenal job of showing that slavery wasn't just about physical confines, but a psychological state. Many of the formerly enslaved children take time to process their trauma in a realistic way. Throughout the story, the children (born free, formerly enslaved, and White) gain a newly enlightened view of the world and with that information, become people that will make readers proud.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about freedom in Freewater. It takes Homer and his sister Ada time to get comfortable in Freewater and to see themselves as free. Why do you think that is? How would you define freedom?
During U.S. slavery, enslavers often violently harmed the enslaved people that labored for them. Freewater contains scenes about the violence inflicted on the enslaved. How did reading about the violence make you feel? Why do you think the author chose to write about these moments?
Freewater is told from multiple point of views, including the formerly enslaved kids, the born-free children of Freewater, and the enslavers. Whose point of view did you like reading about the most? What made their point of view enjoyable? Which character's point of view did you like the least?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Historical Fiction
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : February 1, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 416
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Awards : Common Sense Selection , Coretta Scott King Medal and Honors , Newbery Medal and Honors
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate