A major debut that garnered both the Newbery and Coretta Scott King awards.

Winning both the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award is a great honor for both the author and the work.
The Coretta Scott King Award, which is awarded to an outstanding work of children's and young adult literature written by African Americans, was established in 1970 and has been awarded for over 50 years, and the Newbery Medal is a literary award called the Nobel Prize of children's books with a history of over 100 years.
Over the years, only two books have won both the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award: I'm Not a Birdie, I'm a Bird! (2000) and New Kid (2020).
This time, 『Free Water』 became the third work of glory.


Amina Lukeman Dawson also won the Newbery Medal for her debut novel.
This is a rare occurrence in the 100-year history of the Newbery Medal.
In the 21st century, only one author has won the Grand Prize for his debut novel, Manifest's Blue Moonlight (Claire Vanderpool, 2011).
Despite being a new writer, the reason why 『Free Water』 has received so much attention is undoubtedly because of its outstanding quality.
The numerous characters, each with their own unique personality, are composed so that the work is neither lacking nor overflowing, and the events unfold quickly while the descriptions and background explanations are not missed, allowing for a rich and three-dimensional understanding of the story.


The Newbery Committee said in its review that the author had masterfully handled characters, “The committee, with its 101-year history, has chosen the incredible Freewater.”

The immersive story created by the variation between first-person and third-person perspectives

"Free Water" has an interesting composition.
The title at the beginning of each chapter is the name of the main character of each chapter.
In each chapter, the main characters appear and change, and both the characters and the events are portrayed in a three-dimensional way.
Additionally, since you can read by focusing on the main character of each chapter, it has the advantage of allowing readers to quickly become immersed.

What is most notable about the composition is that Homer and the other characters are written from different perspectives.
If I had to pick one main character from this book, it would be Homer.
This is because Homer is the central character in the larger story of escaping from the farm, coming to Freewater, and then returning to the farm to rescue his mother.
The chapter in which Homer is the main character is narrated from the first-person perspective, unlike the chapters of other main characters.
In the case of Jang, the main character of the remaining characters, it was written from a third-person omniscient author's point of view.


The chapters written in the first-person protagonist's point of view are a device that allows the reader to empathize more deeply with the protagonist, Homer.
The reader is encouraged to think more about freedom by identifying with Homer, who was a slave, became a free man, and then was recaptured and faced the threat of losing his freedom.
Also, Homer calls Crum, the owner of the slave plantation, "Master Crum," but then just calls him "Crum" upon entering Freewater, allowing the reader to feel Homer's changes in small details.
Other chapters written in third-person perspective also provide a unique level of enjoyment.
Each character has their own unique personality and many lovable aspects, so the composition allows for a deeper understanding of each character and a three-dimensional understanding of the various situations surrounding Freewater.

The joy of reading, along with the different emotions felt each time you read.

"Free Water" is a fairly long book, at 488 pages, but once you open the book and start reading, it's a very quick read.
Each chapter is short and the story unfolds quickly, helping you turn the pages quickly.


It often takes a while to get immersed in a story because you don't quite understand it in the beginning.
The longer the description of the time period and background, the more difficult it is to immerse yourself in the book in the beginning.
However, the story of "Freewater" begins with Homer escaping from the farm.
These events are quickly immersive, allowing readers to turn the pages simply by focusing on whether the protagonist will succeed in escaping, even if they initially lack a grasp of the setting or characters.
Afterwards, various events are organized in an easy-to-understand manner, making for an easy-to-read book.


That doesn't mean Freewater is a book that can be read quickly.
Even without considering that it is a novel based on historical facts, this book contains a variety of thematic concerns.
The better the literature, the more diverse the emotions and impressions each reader will receive. However, 『Free Water』 focuses on different points for each reader, and each time they read it, they are moved by something new.


For example, Homer, Billy, and Ferdinand in this book were slaves who became free men in Freewater.
However, Sanjina Juna was born in Freewater and lived as a free person from the beginning.
Their thoughts and actions are different, and comparing these aspects makes us think about freedom.
We also get to see how Billy's stuttering and timid behavior changes, and how Ferdinand's teasing of Sanji changes, which makes us pay attention to their stories.
The differences in perspective between Anna, a slave who constantly seeks to escape, and Nora, who was born as the daughter of a master and never thought about the issue of slavery, as well as the hero Suleman and the slave overseer Stokes, allow us to understand the situation at the time in a three-dimensional way.

While reading "Freewater," filled with diverse characters and events, some will focus on the thrilling adventure, others will feel the catharsis of friendship and cooperation, others will warmly contemplate the happiness of love and family, still others will be moved by the courage and heroism of the characters, and still others will be intrigued by the history of that time.


Freedom, living as the master of one's life

There are many themes in "Free Water" such as friendship, courage, love, growth, and family love, but the most notable theme is undoubtedly "freedom."
This book does not explicitly define what freedom is.
However, throughout the story, the readers can also feel and think about freedom through what the characters say, do, and feel.
The following scene describes Homer's first experience working in the cornfield when he arrived in Freewater.

There was no one here to give us orders, to whip us, to scare us.
It was the wetlands that directed us.
It meant that if it rains and the ground gets wet, go home.
It meant to get to work when the soil was dry and the fog cleared.

And Juna also says this to Homer about working:

“You are learning the job of a free water operator.
“I still sweat as before, but they say the sweat smells more fragrant.”

It is said that working as a slave or working as a free man may be the same in that you have to work to make a living, but they are different.
The reader naturally feels that this difference is 'freedom'.
When Homer was a slave, he talked about how important it was to live inconspicuously, to be invisible to others, and he lived that way.
But when he comes to Freewater, Homer changes.
Break the rules you used to follow.
Raising voices or taking the lead in ordering others to do things was something Homer did not do when he was a slave.
The scene where Homer returns to the Sutherland farm to rescue his mother also shows how his body feels free.


I pulled my straw hat down so that it covered my ears.
And gave orders to my body.
Walk.
Walk as usual before going to Freewater.
Walk around like you're working here, unnoticed.
That's what I did.
But this time my back hurt and my neck was sore.
It was so weird.
I felt like my body was suffering from the loss of my talent that was not noticeable to others.

In this way, the book compares people who live as slaves with people who have found freedom, and through this, it naturally makes us feel what freedom is.
What freedom does this book speak of? Each reader may define it differently, but it certainly seems to convey something like this.
Freedom is living as the master of your own life, not as the master of others.
The author says that being the master of one's own life, working, acting, and loving, isn't that freedom?

“Freewater” is a powerful and emotionally thrilling story of resistance.
Not only does the author masterfully handle his characters, but he also creates a remarkable story about a real-life community of runaway slaves, with a vivid and vivid setting.
The committee, with its 101-year history, selected the incredibly impressive “Freewater” as its target.
- Newbery Medal Judges' Comments

A debut novel with an explosive and cathartic ending - Honbuk

As you turn the pages, the story will captivate the reader and lead to a satisfying conclusion.
The characters are diverse, three-dimensional, and well-structured.
- Kirkus Review

The author skillfully creates memorable characters and delivers an exciting and heartwarming ending.
- Booklist

This vividly written novel about slavery and resistance at the time will inspire courage and overcome fear.
- Publisher's Weekly

Short chapters and expert rhythm capture the reader's attention, and the characters' charm draws them in immediately.
- Book page