47 by Walter Mosley***

47 is about 47, a slave on a plantation. He meets a runaway slave who calls himself Tall John. Tall John says he comes from somewhere where everyone is treated equally, and also has futuristic technology. 47 doesn't believe it, and is very stubborn to accepting Tall John's beliefs. Can 47 learn how to be free, and if he can, can he save his friends?

I generally dislike historical fiction, but I love sci-fi and fantasy. These two elements in 47 do not go well together. I think that this book would be a lot more powerful if it is just historical fiction. I felt that the whole idea that Tall John was from another planet is sort of a bad idea, but the book is pretty good when it's just historical fiction. I think that middle school kids might like this book.