This story is about how an ex-slave now helps other slaves and families escape slavery through the Underground Railroad.

Freedom River tells the heroic triumph of John Parker. He was a former slave that saved enough money to free himself. After buying his freedom, he moved to the free-state of Ohio. In Ohio he owned a foundry and at that foundry worked Jim Shrofe. Jim was the son of a slave owner that lived in Kentucky. He claimed that if John tried to steal any of his fathers slaves he would be murdered. Disregarding the threat, John traveled the river to Kentucky that night and met Isaac, a slave of Shrofe's plantation. Isaac also had a wife and infant daughter. John went to the lengths of returning for the family and sneaking into the slave owners home to rescue the couple's infant and then row them away to freedom. This was just one account of the many people Parker has helped get to freedom. ( )

The book belongs to biography genre because the whole story is written based on John Park's real-life experience. This story is one of his journeys to help an African American family escape to freedom by cross the river. The book depicts the details of how they afraid of the owners shot them and hurt their family members and how they anxiously wait for the suitable timing to escape. The story reveals a part of the black history and the suffer those African Americans beared at that time period. It can be used in history class and reading class to let students know more about the historical event happened in the past. ( )

This book relates the true story of John Parker, a slave who learned the trade of iron molding and saved enough money to buy his own freedom. He made his way to Ohio and went into business for himself, becoming wealthy. But he never forgot where he came from. At night, he helped slaves from Kentucky escape across the river to freedom in Ohio. He guided hundreds of slaves, despite a $1,000 bounty placed on his head by slaveholders. The collage-and-watercolor illustrations by Bryan Collier add to the drama of his story. ( )

Freedom River is a biography about John Parker, a former slaved who bought his freedom. This book was very extremely enlightening to read. It talked about the life of John Parker and shows the readers his courage and selflessness. The book also tells the readers about what John Parker has done to help slaves escape to where they would be free from captivity. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone because it was a very interesting and inspirational to read. ( )