Back to Slavery by Rod Ballard follows a young high school basketball prodigy who reevaluates his priorities after witnessing the sufferings of his past ancestors. Royal Jones is a twelfth-grader who has made a name for himself, playing varsity basketball as a starting center for North Atlanta High School in Georgia. All Royal wants to do is to continue to play basketball through college and buy a house for his single mother in Buckhead. However, Royal doesn't realize his privilege, and after an avoidable robbery, he only worries about losing his favorite Jordan shoes. Soon, after going to bed, Royal finds himself transported to a Southern cotton plantation where he is trapped as a slave. Witnessing the atrocities done to the slaves firsthand, Royal develops a newfound respect for his ancestors and his place in life.

Back to Slavery is a time-traveling drama touching on relevant social issues. Rod Ballard sheds light on the sufferings of black slaves as a reminder for the newer generations never to forget the sacrifices their ancestors made that helped them live the lives they live today. Royal is a talented yet somewhat naive and spoilt young man. His character's evolution from being quite apathetic to black history to someone who is mature and appreciates and acknowledges his heritage was one of the story's highlights for me. I especially enjoyed Royal's relationship with Mr. Sam. All in all, a young adult novella with some critical social commentary.

In Back to Slavery by Rod Ballard, Royal is a talented high school basketball player with a simple life, a loving family, and good friends. But his perspective on the world is wrong, and he focuses on superficial things like his sneakers brand. His neighbor, Mr. Sam, an older man, tries to teach him the true value of things, explaining that during slavery Royal would not have had the wonderful things he has now. However, Royal still does not appreciate what he has, but after falling asleep, he wakes up on a cotton plantation as a caught slave. At first, he thinks it's all a dream and that he needs to learn the lesson, but days turn into months, and time passes without him seeing the possibility of returning home. In this way, Royal discovers much about himself.

Back to Slavery is an impressive story with a great lesson about gratitude to reflect on. Royal is a sympathetic character who matures as he goes through the hard experiences of life. But once he sets his priorities, he begins to share and care for others. His nature is noble and collaborative. He learns to accept the little things in life with pleasure. The interactions between the characters were pleasing. On the plantation, Royal meets a girl identical to Breanna, his sister, and the relationship with her is touching. They treat each other as true siblings. In addition, I liked Rod Ballard's narrative style because it is direct, the descriptions are clear, and some intense moments bring realism and make you feel part of the story.