Reviews

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

zeebookdragon's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

hannah_ross3's review against another edition

challenging fast-paced

5.0

pastor_bgl's review against another edition

5.0

One of my favorite books from childhood that I read many times during elementary and middle school. But reading it as an adult and in our current cultural context it had a much more profound meaning. Still love it!

marnella's review against another edition

4.0

I had read this book when I was younger like 7th grade or so. I didn't remember the story line just that I knew it dealt with Race and I remembered I liked it as I never forgot the title all these years later. I recently found it at goodwill and thought why not reread this book. It's less than 300 pages. This is one of those books that opens your eyes and makes you want to be a better person. I would say this book is a child's equivalent to Uncle Tom's Cabin.
The story is told from a black 9 year old girls perspective. Blacks are free and her family is fortunate to own a decent amount of their own land which they farm. While legally free many of the whites in Mississippi did not see them as equals not even close. This is the story of the little girl learning these lessons and what some whites would do to put others in their "place".

maryminkovich's review against another edition

5.0

I always considered this my favorite book I read in school. I had read some of the series as a teenager, but thought it would be a great time to revisit this book. I am excited to read through the whole series, I am captivated by the Logan family and their story.

slgoff83's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

marie_pick's review against another edition

4.0

This was a very gripping story right from the start. There is some mild language (use of the Lords name in vain and racial slurs)but since we used it as a read aloud I was able to omit these as I saw fit. The story was very realistic and gave my children a true feel for how racial tensions influenced people not so very long ago.

ksdonnellon's review against another edition

5.0

My first favorite novel. I think the first one to make me cry, as well.

katrina_ingram's review against another edition

I read this in school and i’m sure I liked it then, though the only scene that stuck with me was someone making butter. Anyway I wasn’t keen on the narrator and wasn’t feeling the story this time round 

bergsteiger's review against another edition

4.0

Very well-written book, told from the perspective of a nine year old Cassie Logan. She is a young African-American girl raised in Mississippi during the Depression. Her family is unique in that they own their own land in a sea of share-croppers. The book does a great job of conveying the culturally ingrained racism and culture of fear and intimidation, rampant in this time and place. Mrs. Taylor writes so tastefully and convincingly, ensuring no stereotypes are upheld for either blacks or whites, that despite it's difficult nature it is more than appropriate for younger ages. My only small complaint was that this was one of those books that seemed to hasten to a quick end. I appreciated the fact that a series of events had unfolded and some sort of culmination was pending but it just felt rushed after the beautiful development of the rest of the book. If I could give it 4.5 stars then I would. Recommend this book for anyone--it is part of the cultural lexicon of the United States.