Taylor, Mildred D. 1976. Roll of thunder hear my cry. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0-590-98207-9.
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry tells the story of the Logan family primarily through Cassie. Cassie is young, and in some ways na�ve about the world she lives in. The reader�along with Cassie�learns that the world isn't always fair and that the color of one's skin does matter�at least in the South during the Great Depression. One example of racial injustice in the text is when Cassie goes to a store in the nearby town of Strawberry. Cassie notices that the storekeeper waits on all of his white customers�regardless of their age�before he'll wait on his black customers. She reasons with herself that it is understandable to put adult customers ahead of children, but she can't understand why white children who came into the store after they did should get preferential treatment. So in a polite manner she confronts the storekeeper. She doesn't predict that this response is presumptious. She just wants to politely remind him that they were there first in case he forgot. This is proof of her innocence. She has no idea that she is out of line simply by addressing himself so frankly. She is thrown out of the store and told not to come back until she learns her place. Moments later she experiences further injustice. Distracted by all that has gone on, she accidently bumps into Miss Lillian Jean Simms, an uppity white child. When she doesn't apologize humbly enough to suit Miss Lillian, she is verbally and physically assaulted by the girl's father. She is physically forced off the sidewalk and made to apologize again this time showing her proper respect by calling her Miss Lillian. At home she learns from her parents that that's just how things are: white people think they're better than black people. There are many other incidences in the book that also capture the racial injustice of the time period.
Taylor's novel is a wonderful book. Through her vivid characterization and fast-moving plot, she explores the realities of racism. Through Cassie's young and innocent eyes, the reader catches a glimpse of the world that they might not have been aware of. It is the history of our nation, and as ugly as racism is and was it is important to read about it and discuss it openly.
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry is the first in a series of books featuring the Logan family. Taylor's strength is writing lifelike characters. As a reader, you come to care about the family. With the reader becoming personally connected to Cassie�and her family�they are more empathetic to the injustice the family faces at the hands of their white neighbors
I enjoyed this novel as much as I did The Land, a prequel to it. I think Taylor is a wonderful storyteller.
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