Author: Marilyn Nelson
Illustrator: N/A
Readability Score:9.3
Awards: Newberry Honor, Coretta Scott King, Best Book for young adults, National Book Award Finalist, Boston Glode-Horn Book Award, Notable Books for a global society
Primary Characters: Fortunes
Secondary Characters: Dinah (wife), Owner Dr. Porter
Theme: If these bones could talk
Genre: Informational
Sub Genre: Historical Publicaton:2004
Publisher: Helen Robinson
ISBN:1-932425-12-8
Summary: In the late 1700's Fortune was a slave who had a wife named Dinah. He was a slave for a doctor named Dr. Porter. Dr. Porter had a speciality for setting broken bones. When Fortune died his owner boiled his bones and made Forune a skeleton- perserved. This way Dr. Porter could study bones and teach this study to his children. Years and Years passed and Fortune has been passed around and the family eventually named him (the skeleton) Larry. This made him less "real". He was passed down over and over- forgotten about and would resurface again. Eventually a member of the family gave "Larry" to a museum, that many people came and viewed. Later on, people became interested in "Larry" and scientist began to investigaste his bones. His bones told many stories. For example Fortune, was a hard working man- who had very strong bones- which shown he had worked hard for many many years. His bones also shown that he had broken his back at some point in his life and lived in pain for many years until his back actually mended itself. The debate is now about what to do with Forutnes boness... Should it remain in a museum and his story continued? Should he be laid rest as he should have been hundereds of years ago? Either way- do not forget Fortune- as he is free now.
How Would Use: This story should be used to show just how different things really were back then, and how unfree slaves really were. Can you imagine if someone was to boil someones bones and keep them to study?!?! I would use this to teach about Fortune, about slavery. I would have the students write their own ending to this story- what happens to Fortunes bones.
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