From the book:“How long has it been on the market?” a baritone voice asked. The floor creaked and a shadow fell across the crack in the door. Suddenly the door swung open and Sheena and I found ourselves looking up at a big man staring down at us with mild surprise on his face. “Do these come with the house?” he asked.
About the book: Paperboy Davy Connors is enjoying a carefree Midwestern summer in 1960, playing wiffle ball in the daytime and Hide-and-Go-Seek at night. But when a Negro family moves onto his suburban street, hidden fears and prejudices surface, and the escalating racial tensions threaten to destroy the quiet neighborhood… and Davy’s hero-worship of his father. Only his mother Ruth’s uncompromising faith—and a quirky miracle—can hope to restore peace to the community… and to Davy’s soul.
“How long has it been on the market?” a baritone voice asked. The floor creaked and a shadow fell across the crack in the door. Suddenly the door swung open and Sheena and I found ourselves looking up at a big man staring down at us with mild surprise on his face. “Do these come with the house?” he asked.About the book: Paperboy Davy Connors is enjoying a carefree Midwestern summer in 1960, playing wiffle ball in the daytime and Hide-and-Go-Seek at night. But when a Negro family moves onto his suburban street, hidden fears and prejudices surface, and the escalating racial tensions threaten to destroy the quiet neighborhood… and Davy’s hero-worship of his father. Only his mother Ruth’s uncompromising faith—and a quirky miracle—can hope to restore peace to the community… and to Davy’s soul.My Review: This book brought back memories of when I was a very young child living in New Jersey and the first African American family bought a house in our neighborhood. I definitely remember that time. It wasn’t pretty, and I am so thankful that attitudes have changed. This story explored what likely could have happened during the 1960s when that very thing happened in middle America USA, and it’s told from the viewpoint of a preteen boy.
The family consisted of Mom, Dad, two boys and a girl. The girl was the oldest child. The main problem of the story was how the people responded to the new family – some were friendly, some were hostile, and some were consumed with peer pressure, which kept them from doing the right thing.The boys were dealing with the disappointment of finding out that their hero Dad was just human and had flaws. Some serious and dangerous issues arrised which caused some pretty tense moments in the neighborhood.
My emotions were all over the place. I loved the mom, I loved and hated the dad, the kids were very typical and all were easy to relate to and any of the characters could have been people I know. I cried, I laughed, and I became angry.
I loved this book. I read it in one day. I discovered that “The Summer the Wind Whispered My Name” is a prequel to “The Reluctant Journey of David Connors.” I want to read that book now! This is a topic and time period that really interests me – probably because it is part of MY history. I love to read about people who learn, change and grow. I love reading about people who live out their faith and it makes a difference. All of those elements are in this book.
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February 3rd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I just wrote a comment on how I don’t particularly like American historical fiction but all the signs on Earth seem to point in this direction.
February 4th, 2009 at 12:05 am
1960 was the year I graduated from high school, all white school. I lived in the South in Alabama and I saw things change around that time. It was a violent age but change usually comes with pain. I really want to to read this book.