So I have trouble reading books with injustice in them. There's just so much in the world that when it crops up in my fiction I have a tough time handling it (it's why I had to stop reading Front Desk by Kelly Yang, I just had this overwhelming feeling of dread that her family was going to be taken advantage of in some huge way that I could not handle).

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry deals with some very heavy issues, but the story is so compelling I couldn't stop reading even when that injustice was placed front and center.

Author:Mildred D. Taylor

Awards:N/A

Synopsis:This is the sequel to Taylor's classic Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Set in 1935 the saga of the Logan family continues in a small Mississippi town where the children learn to face extreme racism and prejudice as they watch an innocent friend become accused and convicted of a murder perpetrated by two young white men. They also see discover how their bi-racial cousin can cause trouble by trying to pass herself off as white. However they learn about the strength of pride and self-respect from their parents.

Grade:7-9

Genre:Historical Fiction

Citation:Scholastic Book Wizard, Goodreads

My kids' school had their fall book sale; Sophia got a My Little Pony Early Reader book, Joshua got a Beast Quest book and a box of rocks (comes with a booklet to explain the different rocks). Then I picked up for both of them Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World and Poppy Field.

This weekend we will be out adventuring around our town, taking in the different activities going on for Remembrance Weekend. On Monday I am taking a trip to London to see Chicago the Musical; since I am not driving, I hope to get some reading while traveling. Glad I got my flu shot this week. 

With the Festive Task game underway, I am trying to catch up so I can add up my points for the doors opened so far. I am halfway through Let the Circle Be Unbroken and Princess Elizabeth's Spy, so they are the priority right now. Then it is on to A Gentleman's Game and Love's Unfading Light.

Happy Veterans' Day to my brothers and sisters in arms. Happy reading to everyone! See you all on Tuesday.

And so begins No School November, a loving name the parents of the students who go to DoDEA schools (American schools on base run by the DoD). Between the holidays, the parent-teacher conferences, the mandatory teacher training the kids are out of school more than they attend. Today is the first of those days off, so I am making my kids get their annual flu shot (mandatory to attend DoDEA schools) so they don't get too comfy being at home.

This weekend we are attending our town's Bonfire Night. I can't wait but right now all my hopes are on it NOT raining on our party. Old man winter has definitely arrived and set up shop here in East Anglia. Then on Monday starts my town's Remembrance Day activities - each day will have something going on (poetry session at Tilly's Tea Room and Shop, Darren Norton giving a monologue at the Heritage Center for example). I am hoping to make it to a couple of these events.

In between refereeing my kids and going to Great War events, I plan to read:

1. Feminasty by Erin Gibson (library borrow)

2. Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine (library borrow)

3. Let the Circle Be Unbroken (Logans #5) by Mildred D. Taylor (24 Festive Tasks)

Have a happy reading weekend!

This book is part of a several book series on the Logan family. The book takes place during The Great Depression in the deep south. It is about an African American family and their struggle against racism. The main character, Cassie, has to learn the "do's" and "don'ts" that society requires. Because the book is shown through a child's perspective, it really questions and displays the types of injustices that were a common occurrence for the time period. The book may show injustices that people may not normally think about or know to think about. This book is a great example for what life was like as well as what types of social struggles occurred at the time. This book would be a great text to use a reinforcement read for history class for the study of The Great Depression, Black History Month, and feelings on personal heritage. The lexile level is 920L so it could be used around the 5th or 6th grade.