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Cover of The Friendship

The Friendship

by Mildred D. Taylor

Book Details

Publisher:Penguin
Published:1998-02-01
Pages:81
Format:BOOK
Language:en

Reading Info

About This Book

Another powerful story in the Logan Family Saga and companion to Mildred D. Taylor's Newbery Award-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Cassie Logan and her brothers have been warned never to go to the Wallace store. So they know to expect trouble there. What they don’t expect is to hear Mr. Tom Bee, an elderly black man, daring to call the white storekeeper by his first name. The year is 1933, the place is Mississippi, and any child knows that some things just aren’t done. Can a shared past be

Our Review

This powerful addition to the Logan family saga plunges readers into 1930s Mississippi, where Cassie Logan and her brothers witness a dangerous confrontation that defies the racial codes of their time. When elderly Mr. Tom Bee calls a white storekeeper by his first name, the children understand they're witnessing something that could shatter the fragile peace of their community. Mildred D. Taylor masterfully captures the tension of an era where simple acts of dignity became revolutionary statements, continuing her exploration of the complex racial dynamics that defined the Jim Crow South.

What makes this historical fiction stand out is its unflinching examination of whether shared history can overcome entrenched prejudice, framed through the innocent yet perceptive eyes of Cassie Logan. The narrative's emotional weight comes from its quiet moments of defiance rather than dramatic confrontations, making the stakes feel personal and immediate. Readers who appreciate character-driven stories about moral courage and family legacy will find this installment particularly resonant, leaving them with lingering questions about the true cost and meaning of friendship across racial divides.

Themes

Juvenile Fiction

Subjects

Juvenile Fiction