The Bell Rang written and illustrated by James E. Ransome

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, James Ransome poignantly and realistically captures one week in the life of an enslaved family as seen through the eyes of their young daughter. Each day begins the same way as her family wakes up to the ringing of the overseer's bell while is it still dark outside. And each day mirrors every other day: "Daddy gathers wood. Mama cooks. We eat." Then, Daddy, Mama, and older brother Ben head to the fields with the other enslaved people, watched by the overseer on horseback. The narrator heads to Miss Sarah Mae's with the other young children too young to work in the fields.

This week, Monday and Tuesday are the same. But on Wednesday, something's different. Ben gives his sister a handmade doll made of twigs and clothe, kisses her and whispers "Good-bye" then heads to the fields with his friends. By Thursday, it's clear that Ben and his friends have run away. The angry overseer comes to their cabin with dogs, hitting the parents. Later, walking to the fields, the overseer sits high on his horse with a gun.

On Saturday, a half day for the enslaved people on the plantation, a chance for the family to work in their own garden and to fish, to talk about Ben, miss him and hope he is free. When they hear the dogs and horses again, they see that only Ben's friends have been caught: "They go to the tree. Out comes the whip."

On Sunday, there is no bell and there's still no sign of Ben. At the creek where the slaves worship, they sing about freedom and hope Ben made it: "Free like the birds. Free like Moses. No more bells."

The Bell Rang is a powerful book that looks at both grinding inhumanity of slavery, and what happens to the people left behind after a family member decides to run away to freedom. By combining spare, often repetitive text, with detailed watercolor illustrations, Ransome manages to convey to the reader the complex, often heartbreaking emotions of an enslaved family.  While there are loving looks and smiles among the family in the privacy of their cabin, there is also the fear of the overseer and his snarling dogs, and the fear, sadness, and hopefulness for Ben's safety. The mixed emotions on the face of Ben's younger sister when he gifts her the doll are especially palpable.

Although Ransome doesn't tell the reader what Ben's fate is, does he perhaps give us a hint?  On the last page, in the upper corner is a bird soaring up against a white background, followed by the same bird high in the sky. And even though Ransome writes in his author's note that "we are left to wonder if he made it safely to the north, or did he succumb to the perils of the woods?" we are left with a note of hope and perhaps even victory, thanks that soaring bird.

The Bell Rang is definitely a book that should be shared and discussed with all young readers.

This book is recommended for readers age 6+
This book purchased for my personal library