Set in Charlestown, South Carolina the book, Copper Sun, by Sharon M. Draper, is a emotionally riveting story of Amari, a 15-year old girl who finds herself stripped away from the comfort of her village and thrown onto a slave ship heading to South Carolina. When it seems that freedom is just a dream, an inhumane act of cruelty gives her and an indentured servant Polly, a chance at escape. With limited time, they take the dangerous journey and flee to Fort Mose with the hope of freedom waiting for them. 

This historical fiction novel made me think deeply about slavery. Not only did it paint a picture about the horrors and struggles that enslaved people faced, it also showed us who had power in the colonies and who didn’t. Draper made readers have an emotional connection with her characters and over all made Copper Sun a truly outstanding book. Before reading this novel I didn’t really care for historical fiction, yet Draper hooked me in from the beginning to end. Draper’s ability to show power and emotion through her writing is outstanding.  I highly recommend this book for older kids, who want a deeper explanation of what slavery was.