Mildred D. Taylor

Cassie Logan and her brothers Stacey, Christopher-John, and Little Man are growing up in Mississippi. The Logans are a strong family, working hard to make ends meet and pay for the land, which they're fortunate to own since most of their neighbors and friends are sharecroppers. This year will be a trying one for her as she deals with night riders and her father being gone to work on the railroad during the Depression.

I'm having a hard time summarizing this book because it's so much more than show more the plot. It's about a loving family, and a girl's growing up as she deals with racism and injustice. Cassie's a feisty heroine that you can't help but root for, and the other characters - her mother Mary, her grandmother Big Ma, her father, and more - are vividly portrayed. Though I was often upset by what happened, this is such a rich book that I didn't want it to end. The audio is masterfully read by Lynne Thigpen, and included comments by the author on the final CD that explain a little about the story's origins. show less

What a stunning, searing book. This is another classic I somehow missed while growing up, and I've been meaning to read since my daughter read it in 6th grade. Cassie Logan lives with her family on 400 acres of their own land in Depression-era Mississippi. Times are hard, and as Cassie's parents explain, this causes some folks to look to blame somebody. In this case, it is the black families of the community, including the Logans. The Logan children suffer injustices both small and large, show more but all demeaning, from outdated textbooks in deplorable condition to 'night men' who terrorize and sometimes kill black families in the night. Cassie's poor but secure world is shaken to its core as she matures and comes to understand "how things are," and how different rules apply depending on the color of your skin. A terribly important book for upper elementary grades. I listened to an absolutely stunning narration by the late American actress Lynne Thigpen that was every ounce a breathtaking performance.

Taylor, M. (2004). Roll of thunder, hear my cry. New York: Puffin Books. show less

I was blessed with a wide variety of literature in my growing-up years, and one of the books that always stood out to me was Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Mom read that book and its sequel, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, aloud to us when I was probably 10 or 11, and they’ve always stood out in my memory as testaments to the love of family and the strength of many black families over the years as they’ve courageously stood together through racism and poor treatment.

I loved seeing Cassie a show more bit more grown-up in this story. She’s starting to understand her world a bit better—both the beautiful, good side, and the ugly, dangerous side—and as she matures, her perspectives on family and friendships slowly shift, as well. There’s still an innocence about her that’s lovely to see, but I loved seeing her world grow through studying the Constitution with an older lady or learning to accept her half-white cousin.

Taylor does an incredible job bringing us into the setting and Cassie’s world. T.J.’s story broke my heart all over again; getting to see what the court system was like for black people in this area in the 1930s was difficult to take in. Then there are other things like the union people were trying to start up to get fairer prices for everyone; Mo, who just wanted to help his family get ahead for once; and even a small instance like cousin Bud and the way the white boys had the power to cause a grown man to strip down to almost nothing to humiliate him. There was so much injustice that it’s almost hard to take it in.

At the same time, despite the fears and threats and very real dangers, Cassie’s family loved each other, supported each other through some very tough times, and did their best to help their neighbors and support them (I loved the story about the cow!), even to the point of putting themselves in danger. This isn’t an easy read, but it’s definitely hope-filled, and I loved that.

If you love historical fiction with realistic characters, strong family values, and well-researched, feel-like-you’re-there history with a thread of adventure and a gripping plot, I’d highly recommend you check out Let the Circle Be Unbroken. Better yet, start with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; this one definitely builds on it, but both are excellent. show less

I never read this book when I was growing up, even though I knew it was supposed to be “good.” Now, I liked it very much. I particularly like that it manages to be realistic about a hard time while still being age-appropriate. Cassie’s family are better off than their share-cropping neighbors, allowing a glimpse at the sharecropping life without fully immersing the reader in it. Women are particularly powerless, without the novel pointing out how that powerlessness against white men show more can become sexual. There’s no whitewashing. There are some very disturbing incidents—black men are set on fire, and another is tarred and feathered. But Cassie is not alone, and her family is strong and hopeful for the future. show less