Fox, Paula. Illustrated by Eros Keith. 1973. The slave dancer. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 

On the way home from his aunt’s house in New Orleans, 13-year old Jessie Bollier was kidnapped by two sailors and forced to serve on a ship sailing to Africa to pick up slaves. On the voyage, Jessie is forced to play his fife to “dance” the slaves—a practice that kept the slaves muscles strong and their bodies fit so that they would sell for a higher price. Jessie had frequently earned money by playing his fife on the docks near his home, never realizing that his talent and love of music would change his life. While on the slave ship, Jessie learned about human nature, greed, and the extent to which people would go to make money. Along the way, he made a few friends, learned to trust his instincts, and even befriended Ras, one of the slaves being transported on the ship. Set in 1840, this novel by Paula Fox will have readers reexamining their views on human nature, history, and practices of the time. The illustrations by Keith portray both crew and cargo in a shadowy manner that only hints at the horrors that were commonplace during this time period. Fox has provided a wonderful and thought-provoking story that will disturb and enthrall at the same time as readers live Jessie’s horror and fear during his four-month voyage on The Moonlight.