Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Book: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Author Bio: Mildred D Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and grew up in
Toledo, Ohio. After graduating from the University of Toledo, she spent two years in Ethiopia with the peace corps. Returning to the United States, she recruited for the peace corps before entering the school of Journalism at the University of Colorado. As a member of the the black student alliance , she worked with students and university officals in structuring a black studies program at the University. Her first book about the Logan family, Song of the Trees, won the council on Interracial Books Award in the African American category. It was also a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year in 1975.

Summary: Why is the land so important to Cassie's family? It takes the events of one turbulent year-- the year of the night riders and the burnings, the year a white girl humiliates Cassie in public simply because she is black--to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family's lifeblood. It is the land that gives the Logans their courage and pride--no matter how others may degrade them the Logans possess something no one can take take away.

Review: The book was awarded the John Newberry Medal, and from me reading it constantly I can tell why it was awarded that certain award. I can remember when I first saw this book. I was always spending time in my elementary schools library and when I was leaving one day I saw this book. I had to immediately check it out to read. I also remember falling in love with it. This book will pull at your heart strings and it will make you fall in love with it all over again everytime you read it. There is such a good message in this book, I think everyone should read it but it can get a tad violent to some. Even though its set back in the depression in the deep south slavery still exists or segregation does and the Logan kids don't understand what goes on. This book is a wonderful coming of age story and teaches you that although there are black and white people that back then the blacks didn't have much of a place in society, if they even had one at all. It's a hard lesson to learn but Cassie learns what she is to the white people. 

Roll of thunder hear my cry

over the water bye and bye

ole man comin' down the line

whip in hand to beat me down

but I ain't gonna let him turn me 'round

That is a poem in one of the later chapters that will stick with you. The poem are actually lyrics to a traditional Black American spiritual of the American south. It basically talks about the way whites want to dominate the blacks seventy years after the civil war. The end of the song is the most significant part, because it portrays the blacks refusal to be dominated. If I had a rating system set up I would give this book way over five stars because its such a good read. Anyone can read this book or have it read to them. There are some parts a little iffy but overall this is a good read for anyone.