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Summary
Summary
Sadistically teased by two white boys in 1940's rural Mississippi, a black youth severely injures one of the boys with a tire iron and enlists Cassie's help in trying to flee the state.
Notes
Mildred D. Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi on September 13, 1943 and grew up in Toledo, Ohio. She received a Bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Toledo in 1965 and then spent two years in the Peace Corp teaching English and History in Ethiopia. She received a Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado. During this time, she joined the Black Student Alliance and assisted in creating the black studies program at the university. After graduation and before becoming a full-time author, she worked for the Black Education Program as a study skills director.
Using her personal experiences and family stories she heard while growing up, Taylor has created several historical fiction books that offer realistic portraits of African-American families in the mid-1900s. Her novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry won the Newbery Award in 1977 and was made into a television movie in 1978. The Well: David's Story received the 1997 Jason Award. She has also received the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Jane Addams Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Christopher Award multiple times. She currently lives in Colorado.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7-10-- Taylor continues the saga of the Logan family ( Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Dial, 1976). The setting is Mississippi in 1941, and although the impending war has created some new job opportunities for blacks, discrimination and blatant racism still abound. The focus is on Cassie, now 17, her brother Stacey, and their friends, who are confronted and often humiliated by the white people they encounter. In one pivotal scene, a young man who defends himself after merciless taunting realizes he must leave Mississippi rather than face an unfair ``justice'' system. During that escape to Memphis, the friends face even more racist situations. Indeed, instances of white oppression and prejudice permeate the book, making it more stark than the earlier titles that emphasized family strength and unity in addition to exposing racism. Side plots involving the pregnancy of one friend, as well as the illness and death of another, add another element to the story but do not flow smoothly into the narrative. Taylor conveys the harsh realities of the time, as well as strong-willed Cassie's realization that as an adult she will have to make her own decisions and fight her own battles. Cassie's dream of becoming a lawyer and the looming war raise related questions regarding the white-controlled legal system and the injustice of fighting a war that sustains the status-quo, questions that have no easy answers. This is a dramatic, painful book, but it's more of a string of events than a narrative with strong characterizations. --Susan Schuller, Milwaukee Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In the tradition of Maya Angelou and Alice Walker, Taylor uses powerful, vibrant prose to express the sentiments of a young black Southerner, as the Newbery Medalist continues the story of Cassie Logan. The year is 1941, and 17-year-old Cassie prepares for college by attending high school in Jackson, Miss., where her brother Stacey and friends Little Willie and Moe work in factories. No longer under the protective wing of her parents and Big Ma, Cassie confronts the hostility of the white community and faces new harsh realities including the betrayal of a childhood friend, the outbreak of World War II and an act of violence that forces Moe into hiding. Although Cassie experiences fear and humiliation, her determination to fight for justice remains undaunted. Offering the same captivating characters, honest dialogue and resonant imagery found in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Let the Circle Be Unbroken , this enlightening, moving novel will leave readers yearning for the next installment of the Logan saga. Ages 12-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved