A powerful poem about Ona Judge's life and her self-emancipation from George Washington’s household.

Ona Judge, enslaved by George and Martha Washington, was a skilled seamstress who grew up alongside their grandchildren and was often mistaken for one herself—until she chose freedom and ran away. In this poetic biography, Ray Anthony Shepard uses a call-and-response style to thoughtfully introduce young readers to the realities of slavery, while Keith Mallett’s rich, collage-like illustrations bring depth and dignity to Ona’s courageous story.

For more Revolutionary-era stories, visit The Occupied City exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York.

• 40 pages.
• 1 – 2 grade level.
• 3 - 6 years reading age.