My Name is Not Friday

Jon Walter

Jan 2016 · Scholastic Audio · Kuchazwe ngu-Dion Graham

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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.

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Jon Walter is a former photojournalist with a special interest in social welfare issues. His debut middle grade novel, Close to the Wind, was chosen as The Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week in the United Kingdom and an Indie Next List pick in the United States. My Name is Not Friday is his young adult debut and has earned five starred reviews. He lives in East Sussex, England, with his family.