A beautifully illustrated children's book about a slave of Martha Washington who escaped to freedom not because of abuse but because of her commitment to the right of humans to be allowed to decide their own life's destiny. It shows Martha Washington in a decidedly poor light, in every picture she has a grumpy face and the book states the fact that the Washingtons kept their slaves moving between their homes so as to avoid letting any of them go free from local laws. I like that the author brings up the reality of slavery that was not physically abusive, but was morally wrong nonetheless. The story was well written and interesting. ( )

Oney was a slave to the Washington's when she soon became Mrs Washingtons maid because Mr Washington became president. Oney moves with them and eventually finds some free blacks that explain how they became free. Oney sees an opportunity to escape and she does so, she hits a few bumps along the way like running into a friend of the Washington's but she stays hidden and doest get caught. Eventually Oney marries and has a baby, but she was warned to leave in the fear of getting bought and they taking her baby. I really loved this book and reading about how brave these slaves were and how they did everything they could to be free. They risked a lot, but it never stopped them. ( )

Delicate yet truthful, McCully's voice for describing the plight and escape of Oney, a young slave girl and personal maid to Martha Washington, allows young readers to grapple with the troubles of slavery. By inviting young readers into the life and thoughts of Oney as she contemplates her life as a slave and ultimately makes the decision to leave, despite being told all her life to be grateful, McCully allows them perhaps a first time glance at the unfairness and injustice of slavery. Great for class discussions. Great introductory material on slavery. ( )

Oney Judge was a light-skinned black girl who grew up during the time when America became an independent country. She was enslaved by Martha Washington- George Washington's wife- ever since she was a child. She grew up working in the Washington's house with her mother, both of them sewing for Martha; Oney knew the only reason she was allowed to work in the mansion was due to her father being a white servant to the Washingtons. Although she knew she wasn't truly free, Oney was grateful she wasn't working in the fields, where you would be whipped or sold to someone else without a second thought. When George Washington was elected president, Oney was taken with the Washingtons to be Martha's personal maid in the new capital, New York City. Oney was excited, yet hated to leave her mother behind. The capital was later moved to Philadelphia, where Oney first learned of ways an enslaved person could become free; some bought their freedom, others ran away or were freed by their masters, and some were freed by a law in Pennsylvania that stated an adult slave that had lived there for six months had to be freed. As more and more time passed, Oney learned of more and more free black people who were living the lives that Oney dreamed of having. Eventually, Oney manages to run away with the help of a free black couple, who get Oney a ride on a ship to New Hampshire. There, she lives with a free black family, and she eventually marries and has a baby. She manages to avoid being returned to Martha Washington several times with the help of both white and black people. After George Washington dies, Martha gives up on getting Oney returned, and Oney lives the rest of her life a free woman. The setting of America as a newly independent country impacts the plot in many ways. In Philadelphia, the sight of free black people walking with confidence inspires Oney to become free. The way the Washingtons act- which was the usual behavior of slave owners at the time- towards Oney is another major driver of the plot. Though Martha claims to see Oney as one of her children, she forbids Oney from learning how to read or write, and she denies Oney any chance of having any control over her own life; when one of Martha's friends offered Oney a side job making dresses, Martha laughed at the idea and told the woman that Oney didn't need money. This mistreatment that was sadly common at the time drives Oney to become free, so she can live a better life. ( )

This is a story of a young slave girl's escape to freedom. The girl, Oney, was a slave to George Washington's wife, Martha Washington. Although she wasn't abused and had the luxury of being an indoor slave, Oney desired real freedom. One day when the family is at dinner she finally decides to escape. Her freedom is constantly challenged due to the Washington's being so powerful. She flees more than once, but remains free in the end. The theme of this book is absolute freedom is worth every risk you have to take to obtain it. ( )