Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry - Mildred D. Taylor

Recommended for ages 8-adult.

From the very first page of this book, I knew it was going to be powerful. Taylor's brief note makes it clear that this book is personal. Her two strongest male characters are based on her father, who died a week earlier. And the stories they form part of are taken from Taylor's own family history. A history of oppression and slavery in America's Deep South.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is a (fictional) account of the life and times of Cassie Logan, an African-American girl living in Mississippi in the 1930's. Cassie has a deep sense of justice which is starting to awaken as she witnesses terrible things happening to other African-American families in her neighbourhood. Her older brother Stacey seems to know how to act around the white members of their community, but Cassie just can't see why she should be pushed into the gutter by a grown man when she refused to get off the pavement as he passed.

This is a beautiful, significant and powerful coming-of-age story which will inspire any reader to stand up and fight for your principles. But I can't promise you a happy ending.

Recommended for ages 8-adult. Truly a classic tale.

PS Some people think this novel should replace To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) as a key text in schools, but I think I prefer the latter. Thoughts?