For the child grappling with ideas of justice and injustice, this story offers a powerful tale of a mother's courage and ingenuity to secure her family's freedom.
When your child begins asking difficult questions about fairness and history, this book provides a powerful entry point. It tells the story of Mama Marina, an enslaved woman in the Old South who uses her knowledge of conjuring and folklore to win freedom for her daughter, Sheba. The book navigates the harsh realities of slavery through a lens of immense courage, a mother's powerful love, and clever resistance. For ages 8 to 12, it's an ideal choice for introducing this period of history in an empowering way that highlights ingenuity and resilience.
The master experiences frightening, magically induced visions of snakes.
Mild PerilModerate
Characters face constant threat of severe punishment or being sold away from their family.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly with the brutality and injustice of American chattel slavery. The approach is not metaphorical. The resolution is hopeful for the main characters but acknowledges the broader system of oppression remains. The use of conjuring is presented as a form of African spiritual and cultural resistance, which is secular from a Western religious viewpoint but deeply spiritual within its own context.
Ideal Reader
An 8 to 11-year-old who is ready for historical fiction that doesn't shy away from injustice. This is for the child who loves stories of magic and cleverness, and who would be empowered by seeing a protagonist use their wits and cultural knowledge, rather than physical force, to overcome a powerful oppressor.
Parent Prep
A parent should be prepared to discuss the historical context of slavery in the United States. The cruelty of the master is clear, including threats of whipping. It would be helpful to discuss conjuring as an important system of belief and resistance for enslaved people, blending African spiritual traditions with New World knowledge. The book can be read without extensive prep, but context enriches the experience. A parent has just heard their child ask, after a history lesson, "Couldn't the slaves fight back?" or "Why didn't they just leave?" This book offers a nuanced answer about the many forms resistance can take.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will likely focus on the clever plot, the magic, and the mother-daughter relationship. They will see it as a thrilling tale of outsmarting a villain. An older reader (10-12) will better understand the profound risks involved, the psychological depth of Marina's plan, and the story's place within the larger, tragic history of slavery.
What Makes It Special
This book stands out by centering its narrative of resistance on intellectual and spiritual power rooted in African traditions (conjuring). Unlike many stories that focus on escape via the Underground Railroad, this is a tale of liberation achieved through psychological ingenuity from within the confines of the plantation, making it a unique and empowering narrative.
Read plot summary
In the Antebellum South, Mama Marina, an enslaved woman known for her skills as a conjurer, concocts a dangerous plan to secure freedom for her daughter Sheba and the man Sheba loves, Joe. She uses her deep knowledge of plants to create a potion that, when applied to a single grape leaf, causes the cruel master to experience terrifying hallucinations whenever he eats his prized grapes. Believing the fruit is cursed, he is manipulated into granting the trio their freedom.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Mama Marina uses her knowledge of plants and conjuring to fight back. What are some other ways people can use special skills or knowledge to stand up for what's right, even when they feel powerless?
2
The master believes the grapes are cursed, but Mama Marina knows the magic is on the leaf. Why was it so important for her plan that he believed in her magic?
3
Sheba is afraid of her mother's plan at first, worrying it will get them into trouble. What do you think gave her the courage to trust her mother in the end?
4
At the end of the story, Sheba, Joe, and their child are free, but many others on the plantation are not. How did this make you feel? Does their personal freedom solve the bigger problem?
