Trudy Krisher

I loved this book for three reasons, the first being due to its writing, which is deep yet still appropriate for young readers. The author mentions the child’s fearfulness of her disease and even mentions death at one point in the story, but it is done so in a way young readers would not be turned off by reading about sickness. The second reason I love this book is because the characters are very believable. The main character is a young girl who acts exactly how a child with cancer would show more react to his/her disease in real life. She strongly dislikes wearing hats and wishes she could have hair like her peers, and she expresses her fearfulness in the beginning as well as her hopefulness and positive attitude in the end of the story. The third reason I enjoyed this book is because it pushes young readers to think about tough issues they might not be aware of or fully understand. The book talks about the complications that come along with such a terrible disease, including chemotherapy and how it causes patients to lose their hair. This book is great because it is based on a true story. The big idea of the story is to give readers who have cancer or know of someone who has or has had cancer hope and a positive outlook, as well as to inform readers about illness and acceptance. show less

Any words I write fall short of Trudy Krisher's outstanding book, Spite Fences.
It is a very compelling story evoking a range of emotions in me. Krisher expertly captures the 1960's Jim Crow south in this coming of age story of a 13 year old white girl. Many relationships are portrayed- familial, neighbors, and inter/intra racial. The role of a camera in its figurative relationship to the story and literal relationship to Maggie is important to the story.
I recommended this book when I show more recently learned about it. Now that I I've read it I give it a stronger and enthusiastic endorsement. It would make a a good selection for book groups as well as "One book, one community" events.
The role of the fence reminded me of August Wilson's play Fences. I had the opportunity to meet him and he signed my Playbill with these words, "May all your Fences have gates". Maggie found her gate. show less

A thousand people is impersonal. But three people will reach in and become personal, bringing out a part of you that you've kept hidden.
These three women gathered and protested with a comprehensive group of women at the nation's capital to call for change in how the many were being disrespected and discarded for multiple reasons. The personal growth they experienced as they learned more about the others on that bus for 37 hours is the heart of this fictionalized incursion into this historic show more happening. The writing style is as basic as the marchers are complex. I loved it and want to buy a copy for the local library.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from The Social Justice Press via NetGalley. Thank you. show less

Maggie is a 13 year old girl in Kinship GA who was born on the wrong side of the tracks, is strong but not pretty, and will always have to scrape for money. But, at least, she's white and in the segregated south of the 1960s that counts for a lot. As her favored sister vies for a local beauty pageant, Maggie gets a job cleaning the house of a (gasp) black man, George Hardy, visiting from the big city (Atlanta) to help locals fight to integrate. Maggie begins to see the injustices of Jim show more Crow-ism. There is also a side plot with the "white trash" neighbors (the Pughs build a fence). The ending is a tad contrived and convenient but in between are pages of telling details of living with segregation and is an admirable, even-handed look at race relations. Suitable for middle and high schools but some scenes of violence may be hard to read for the sensitive (local peddler Zeke is tortured; Maggie is nearly raged). show less