This book is a good example of historical fiction. It has an imaginative plot that reflects historic facts. The character is a bear, but represents Henry David Thoreau. The story of his tim in jail is true and the story is based off his statement that while he was in jail he said "It was like traveling into a far country, such as I had never expected to behold, to lie there for one night." The imaginative plot certainly captures this statement. I would use this book in a primary or early intermediate classroom. The type of media used is pencil. There a detailed lines and nice shading that enhance the image. ( )

Age Appropriateness: Primary
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Critique: This book is historical fiction because it re-tells the story of Henry David Thoreau, who was put in jail for refusing to pay taxes to a slave state. It contains accurate historical details, although they are fictionalized. It is fantasy because instead of a person, the main character (Henry) is a bear, and bears do not pay taxes or go to jail. The jailer is the antagonist because he gets in Henry's way when Henry is trying to do the right thing (not support slavery).
Uses: Talking about slavery or using your imagination to make a hard situation better. ( )

This book's aim (teaching young children about the concept of civil disobediance and what led Henry David Thoreau to go to jail rather than pay taxes to a government that sanctioned slavery) is laudible. But I found that it doesn't really succeed in bridging the conceptual gap of a five year old trying to make sense of tax-collectors and slavery. It might work better for older children who don't disdain picture books. ( )

This book gives a child's look on the life of Henry David Thoreau by illustrating a bear getting lock up in jail for not paying his taxes because of the stat's law on slavery. While in jail, the bear draws all over the walls and images helping a slave run away by giving him his shoes.
This book is considered a fantasy because realistically, bears can't talk, and you can't take adventures while in a jail cell with your pictures you drew on the walls. But this book is historically somewhat accurate because it shows some of the true events that happened with Henry David Thoreau.
A teacher could easily use this book to teach children about the work of Henry David Thoreau and how he wanted and helped abolish slavery.
Media: Pencil drawings
The setting for this book takes place in a small town and in a jail cell. This helps the book be more accurate because it relates to the setting of the real Henry Thoreau and the type of setting that took place during his time. ( )

This book ia about the story of Henry David Thoreau, who belives in the slavers freedom ( )