Jalani and the Lock

Inspired by actual stories he heard about his ancestors, Lorenzo Pace weaves a tale around a lock given to him at his father's funeral. Pace learned that it was the actual lock used to shackle his great-great-grandfather, Steve Pace, when he came to this country as a slave. Jalani and the Lock tells of a young boy's journey from his beloved home in Africa, his abduction to a strange land, his life as a slave, and, finally, his freedom. Though he was free, he never wanted to forget his roots, so he passed the lock on to his children, who passed it on to their children, so they would never forget where they all came from. The full-color illustrations done by the author enhance the tale of Jalani on his journey to freedom.