My Name is Not Friday

By: Jon Walter

Narrated by: Dion Graham

A gorgeously written account of a freeborn black boy sold into slavery during the Civil War; think 12 Years a Slave for young adults.

Well-mannered Samuel and his mischievous younger brother, Joshua, are free black boys living in an orphanage during the end of the Civil War. Samuel takes the blame for Joshua's latest prank, and the consequence is worse than he could ever imagine. He's taken from the orphanage to the South, given a new name - Friday - and sold into slavery. What follows is a heartbreaking but hopeful account of Samuel's journey from freedom to captivity and back again.

©2016 Jon Walter (P)2016 Scholastic Inc.

Critic reviews

"Dion Graham's soft voicing of 13-year-old Samuel brings out all the heartache in his young life.... Graham's expert pacing, inflection, and lightly accented speech capture the pathos of this intolerable situation... An excellent choice for middle grade units on slavery, the book and Graham's narration will aid young people in the exploration of this shameful chapter in American history." (AudioFile)