"There has never been a more difficult time to raise children in."
Since the dawn of time I imagine every single parent who has ever lived has probably said at one time or another, I am not sure whether it was implied that some of them were dying as they were called up to fly, but it was definitely that intense. There are a lot of mentions of whipping slaves, and pictures of the whip, and of people who can barely stand up due to the hardships of slavery. I didn't realize it beforehand, but the content is a bit much for a 5 year old - I'm thinking maybe 8 would be the youngest I would have wanted to read it. The story manages to convey hope, resourcefulness, and pride - possibly the only things allowing enslaved people to survive - while at the same time acknowledging the unforgivable losses, and the heartbreak experienced even in the midst of victory. The beauty of this story is that flying is being used as an analogy for many things: of escape from slavery, of hope, of the lost African traditions and culture, of second chances. The references to eye-witnesses and how the story may or may not be true made it quite magical as a story/mythos.
It is beautifully told and illustrated in this edition. This is an amazing tale that by some act of neglect I had never heard before. Inspiring, heartbreaking, poetic, and intense.
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