crystal_reading's review against another edition
5.0
This is a look into the civil rights movement through the eyes of the son of a leader who believes in passive resistance. What was helpful to me was the view into the role of the Black Panthers. I had limited knowledge of their community work at least until I read One Crazy Summer a few years ago, but this gave even more background in the story and in the afterward. Sam's voice rang true and haunted me.
marmoset737's review against another edition
4.0
This is an interesting, and unique, look at the Civil Rights movement as it focuses one one adolescent's experiences with the Black Panther movement which as has been said by other reviewers, is pretty rare in YA/tween lit.
This is a good historical fiction choice for ages 10-15. The main character, Sam, is relatable - while he's dealing with a lot of extreme conflicts in terms of racial relations, his father and brother's conflicting ideals, etc. that shape the historical elements of the book, he's also dealing with normal adolescent issues like first crushes in a compelling way.
My only caveat with the book is that the ending felt rushed, particularly Sam's final decisions. No spoilers...but I just wish the author had spent a little more time wrapping up the complicated relationships and conflicts that faced Sam through the rest of the book.
This is a good historical fiction choice for ages 10-15. The main character, Sam, is relatable - while he's dealing with a lot of extreme conflicts in terms of racial relations, his father and brother's conflicting ideals, etc. that shape the historical elements of the book, he's also dealing with normal adolescent issues like first crushes in a compelling way.
My only caveat with the book is that the ending felt rushed, particularly Sam's final decisions. No spoilers...but I just wish the author had spent a little more time wrapping up the complicated relationships and conflicts that faced Sam through the rest of the book.
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
"You can't be the rock and the river!" Set during the Civil Rights Movement, Sam's father is part of Martin Luther King movement, while his brother is part of the Black Panther Party. Sam knows that life is unfair for African Americans in American, but he is still determining his place in the world. All he really wants to deal with is figuring out how to ask Maxie to walk with him after school. After witnessing one of his brother's friends being beaten and jailed for being black, Sam is forced to find his place in the movement.
dja777's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't find the narrator especially captivating, but it was an interesting portrait of a time I know little about, and it made me want to read more about the history of the Black Panther movement.
books_xoxo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
rcaivano's review against another edition
Wonderful book. I listened to this, which I think added so much more to the enjoyment of the book. Sam and Stick are brothers during the 60s. Their father is a civil rights leader who follows MLK but they want to follow a different path, that of the Black Panthers. Sam struggles with doing what his father wants and the anger he feels inside.
debz57a52's review
4.0
I've been meaning to read this book forever. I began it while I was substitute teaching for middle schoolers, which I think was perfect, since the main character Sam is also about 13/14.
He's living in a tough time. Civil Rights is on fire, with some disagreement among the activists about how to go about getting what they need. Sam's dad is a friend of Dr. King, but some of the neighborhood teens - including Sam's brother Stick - are more swayed by the work of the Black Panthers, which is just starting to take root in Chicago. And, well, Sam is in school and dealing with puberty and crushes and peer pressure and... it's a lot.
There's physical conflict in this book, absolutely, but I found the most interesting parts of it when Sam was listening to each person's perspective and he was weighing how it felt and sounded to him. It was a fight for his soul, sort of, and I truly enjoyed it. Plus, I usually think of Civil Rights activists as in one camp or the other, with clear delineation, but I think it was much more like Magoon's portrayal: they were all aware of each other and their common ground, despite maybe the different plans to get their goals met. I'm really glad I finally got to this - great read.
He's living in a tough time. Civil Rights is on fire, with some disagreement among the activists about how to go about getting what they need. Sam's dad is a friend of Dr. King, but some of the neighborhood teens - including Sam's brother Stick - are more swayed by the work of the Black Panthers, which is just starting to take root in Chicago. And, well, Sam is in school and dealing with puberty and crushes and peer pressure and... it's a lot.
There's physical conflict in this book, absolutely, but I found the most interesting parts of it when Sam was listening to each person's perspective and he was weighing how it felt and sounded to him. It was a fight for his soul, sort of, and I truly enjoyed it. Plus, I usually think of Civil Rights activists as in one camp or the other, with clear delineation, but I think it was much more like Magoon's portrayal: they were all aware of each other and their common ground, despite maybe the different plans to get their goals met. I'm really glad I finally got to this - great read.