The Captive

by Joyce Hansen

Book Overview

When Kofi's father, an Ashanti chief, is killed, Kofi is sold as a slave and ends up in Massachusetts, where his fate is in the hands of Paul Cuffe, an African American shipbuilder who works to return slaves to their homeland in Africa.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0590416243
• ISBN13: 9780590416245
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Scholastic
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

an awsome book

Captive is a great book that is definetly worth reading. The author puts a visual in your head that makes you feel as if you are actualy there whitnessing the story.the story is about an African American Kofi who gets taken out of his home and is shiped to an owner to be his slave. his only possesions are the clothes on his back and a flute. On the ship the author describes his frusteration and confusion wtih not being able to talk to any one.He meets two other boys and they get sold to a master. his master beats him and tourchers him.The masters wife however teaches him to speak to learn and to write English. Then him and his two friends dreanm of being free again and plan to ecscape. Will Kofi and his friends ecscape?Will Will kofis dream of being free someday come true?I enjoyed reading this book and I hope you will too.It has all the things that I like in a book action suspence and emotion. so if you are looking for that kind of book this would be a good one.

you should read this book

This book is really good because Its about a son of a great Ashanti chief who is captured and sold to be a slave and its about how he tries to get back to his people and he meets 1 american slave called Joseph and another kid who is a british bound servant called Tim.The coolest part is when Kofi learns how to speak english because he can understand people and not make everybody frustrated.The worst part is when Kofi gts taken away to be a slave because he looses his freedom and can't do anything but work.

An excellent piece of historical fiction

I've taught this book to 6th and 7th graders at two different schools. Both years, it was one of my students' favorite books. There is plenty of action to keep readers interested, and the story deals well with the issue of slavery. Another excellent book in this same genre--though a little more challenging--is "Amistad" by Alexs Pate.

IT SOUNDS SO REAL!

This book is captivating, and on the edge. It makes the reader want to always know what is going to happen to Kofi next! The reader feels for this young Ashanti prince everytime that he seema as if he is about to be reunited with his family, but there is always an obstacle. I strongly recommed this book to anyone.