 First edition | |
| Author | Rebecca Caudill |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Dorothy Morse |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
Publication date | year |
| Publication place | United States |
Tree of Freedom is a 1949 children's historical fiction novel written by Rebecca Caudill and illustrated by Dorothy Morse. It is a pioneer story set in Kentucky at the time of the American Revolutionary War.[1] The novel was a Newbery Honor recipient in 1950.[2]
Plot summary
The novel tells the story of the Venable family, Jonathan, Bertha, and their five children, who in 1780 walk from North Carolina to Kentucky to homestead on 400 acres. There, they build a cabin, plant crops, and raise livestock; 13-year-old Stephanie grows an apple tree, which she calls her "tree of freedom". They are dismayed when they discover there is a rival claim to their land made by a British sympathizer. As the war comes closer, Indian raids increase, Jonathan becomes a courier for the Governor of Virginia, and Stephanie's older brother Noel joins an expedition against the Indians with George Rogers Clark.
External links
The New York Times called the story's setting "especially interesting" as it is "a phase rarely dealt with in our many excellent narratives of early America".[3]
References
- ^ Gillespie, John T.; Naden, Corinne J., eds. (2006). The Newbery/Printz Companion: Book Talk and Related Materials (3rd ed.). Libraries Unlimited. p. 150. ISBN 1-59158-313-6.
- ^ "Association for Library Service to Children - Newbery Medal Winners & Honor Books, 1922 – Present" (PDF). ALA.org. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "New Books in the Younger Readers Library: Kentucky Pioneers, Tree of Freedom". The New York Times. May 8, 1949. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
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