A review by okiecozyreader
River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I really loved this story of a mother in the Caribbean who went to look for her children when slavery was abolished. The audio was beautifully narrated by Debra Michaels. I listened to most of it one day when I was working in my flower beds, cutting down tall grasses and I think spending that day immersed in the story really helped me love it. I felt like I was on this journey with them, and the feelings Rachel had were palpable for me.

I loved in her letter for GMA, the author wrote,
“This isn’t a story about slavery - it is a book about what comes after it. It is a book about freedom, and how Black people in the Caribbean made freedom for themselves…. It is also about love.”

In the back of the audio version there is an author’s note in which she discusses her ties to this story, her fascination with slavery in the Caribbean (where her family is from) and locating her own family over time. She mentions Rachel is named after a real woman named Rachel who also looked for her child.

This book made me think about what life was like for so many when slavery ended, and I enjoyed this glimpse into their culture and lives.

Thank you libro.fm for providing audio copies for librarians!