LAE 4424: Historical Fiction Books

Just a Drop of Water

by Kerry O’Malley Cerra

Just a Drop of Water by Kerry O’Malley Cerra tells the story about a young boy named Jake and how he tries to understand what’s going on around him after September 11th, 2001. The unfortunate act of terror on the the Twin Towers turned the whole world upside down and damaged a lot of people... including Jakes parents. When word got out that one of the hijackers lived in their hometown of Coral Springs, Florida, this changed the relationship between Jake and his friend Sam in a negative way. Jake knows his friend’s family has done nothing wrong but the town is not convinced. With all the pressure Jake was under, life was not easy but he kept sticking to what he knew was right. Jake might have stumble along the way but ultimately stays true to himself and his friend, Sameed.

This book is intended for students in third grade and up. It is not very possible to use this book with second graders because they would not understand the severity of the event and the key details that go along with it. Children will enjoy this book because Jake and Sam are both having to deal with bullying and doing the right thing and this is very evident in schools today. The plot is well constructed and moves smoothly throughout the whole story.

Two themes that stand out in the story are taking a stand and courage. Jake took a stand for his friend and his family on many occasions because he knew thats what was right to do. Both Jake and Sam showed courage on many occasions as well. Jake had to be courageous when standing up to others, including his family. Sam was courageous when dealing with the fact that he father was in jail and just being there for his mother and sister.

This is a well constructed book. The story of 9/11 is such an important piece of our history as Americans that students need to know. It’s nice to see it told from a young child's point of view because almost its almost always told from the adults perspective. I believe the author told the story from this point of view because she knew the students would be able to relate and understand to the story better.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

by Mildred Taylor

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor is a book about racism during the Great Depression. The book takes place in southern Mississippi, where people are persecuted and mistreated for the color of their skin. The Logan children return back to school after summer vacation and they learn that some white men burned three black men for allegedly flirting with a white woman. Throughout the entire book, the children constantly deal with racial violence and injustice.

The book is intended for grades six and up. This book discusses racial violence and injustices that younger grades would not understand. This book will be a good for students to understand the battle against social injustices and racism. Students will not only get a glimpse of what life was like during that time period, but they will hopefully learn how important acceptance and equality are. The plot of this book can be extreme for younger readers but it is well-constructed and impressionable.

Two themes that stand out in this book are taking a stand and prejudice. Cassie is living through some rough times but she always speaks her mind, even if it may get her in trouble. She speaks up when she sees any injustices and is not afraid to stand up for what is right. Prejudice is also shown by the racial injustice and the segregation in the schools. Blacks are expected to accept mistreatment everywhere they go because they are seen as inferior.

Racism is such an important part of our history and students should be aware of the mistreatment and social/racial injustices that African Americans had to endure during this time. The book is narrated by a young girl, Cassie, and it is nice to get a young person perspective. This makes the story more relatable and understandable for younger readers.

References

Cerra, K. O. (2016). Just a drop of water. New York: Sky Pony Press.

Taylor, M. D. (1991). Roll of thunder, hear my cry. Harmondsworth: Puffin Books.