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A review by kathrynnemo
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
5.0
Re-reading this book as an adult was amazing. It was far more brutal than I'd remembered, probably because so much of the story is told in subtext. Very rarely do I get so invested in characters in such a short time, but this book sucked me in within the first few pages. Cassie's voice is clear and unique-- as a kid, I related to her frustration at not knowing what was going on; as an adult, I was terrified by her impulsiveness and felt bad for her mama.
A lot of this book went over my head when I read it the first time as a white northern kid. Kids will get more out of it if they understand the sharecropping system (I did not) and possibly if they understand the concept of lynching. The sense of menace in the scenes with the "night riders" was beautifully done-- I did not understand the first time I read this that it was possible for white adults to go around murdering people (let alone kids), but the fear still came through for me. I think this is both an important book to contribute to white kids' understanding of the Jim Crow South, and a fantastic story about everyday heroism.
A lot of this book went over my head when I read it the first time as a white northern kid. Kids will get more out of it if they understand the sharecropping system (I did not) and possibly if they understand the concept of lynching. The sense of menace in the scenes with the "night riders" was beautifully done-- I did not understand the first time I read this that it was possible for white adults to go around murdering people (let alone kids), but the fear still came through for me. I think this is both an important book to contribute to white kids' understanding of the Jim Crow South, and a fantastic story about everyday heroism.