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

Overall Rating: 10/10

1930's Mississippi is not a safe place to be Black - a lesson that Cassie Logan and her brothers are just beginning to learn. Even Cassie's loving family, more privileged than most because they own their own land, cannot protect her from the seething tide of hatred and bigotry that is ensnaring her small town.

First and foremost, this is a story about the Logan family: all members are distinct, well-developed characters that feel real. But this story, aimed at middle grades, does not shy away from the realities of racism in the South during this period. While not overly graphic by any means, Taylor does not censor the hateful language used, the violence that was perpetrated against Black people, and the impotence (or unwillingness) of the legal system to do anything about it. We may have made progress as a society, but there are enough disturbing echos of modern events involving systemic racism, vigilantism, and a corrupt legal system in these pages to make the reader think about how little some things have changed. I read this book for the first time when I was in elementary school, and it absolutely still holds up.

This is a powerful, well-written book that I would recommend to anyone. Though the characters are fictional, the events of the story are not far removed from the reality of the time. We could all learn something from the Logan family.

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Reviewed by Ms. Ratzburg.