I first read this book in 2009, as a 6th grader. As a young adult, I read this book once a year. I love the views of Cassie as she takes us on the Logan family’s journey growing up in the Deep South during extreme segregation. This book has taught me many ways and values and I hope to see more people learn about this hidden gem.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 4,934 ratings
Price: 13.39
Last update: 02-12-2025
About this item
Mildred D. Taylor's Newbery Award-winning masterpiece with an introduction written and read by Jacqueline Woodson, just in time for its 40th anniversary!
Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family's struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. And it is also Cassie's story - Cassie Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family, even as she learns to draw strength from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.
Top reviews from the United States
Shopper5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL AGES
Rose5.0 out of 5 stars Super Addition to library of our Grands!
Great library addition!
Linda Gabriel5.0 out of 5 stars Fighting racism one family at a time
In her Newbery Award acceptance speech, Taylor said that one of her goals as a writer was to "paint a truer picture of Black people. I wanted to show the endurance of the Black world, with strong fathers and concerned mothers; I wanted to show happy, loved children about whom other children, both black and white, could say, `Hey, I really like them! I feel what they feel.' I wanted to show a Black family united in love and pride, of which the reader would like to be a part." I think if you read Roll of Thunder, you will agree with me that Ms. Taylor achieved her goal.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry deals with the cruel and unjust treatment of black people by the Southern white society they live in during the Depression era (1933). The story is told from the perspective of a black girl whose family must deal with the injustices and hatred they experience. One of my favorite things about Taylor's stories about the Logan family is the characters. It may be true that many of the characters in the book clearly fall under the category of either "good" or "bad." Most of the white people are depicted as hateful, and these characters never really change their ways. On the other hand, for the most part, the black people are portrayed as being honest, fair, and hardworking; most are religious and moral. However, a few characters are caught somewhere in the middle, seemingly pulled in both directions. Throughout the story several characters struggle with their identity, their role in society, and their sense of duty and loyalty.
In a society that resents the first generation of black people who are free from slavery, a few white people risk their own reputations and relationships, and even their safety by treating the black people as equals. For instance, the lawyer Mr. Jamison not only makes it clear that he disapproves of the way blacks are treated, but goes to the point of risking his career and possibly even his life when he backs up the credit of the black people who choose not to buy from Wallace. Another white man, Mr. Granger, at times shows some tolerance for the black people, but not because it is right to do so, but because it is in his own best interest.More interesting is Jeremy Simms. Although his family despises the blacks, this white boy has made up his mind not to adopt their attitude. He and the Logan children know that it is not acceptable for them to be friends. Mr. Logan warns Stacey,
"Maybe one day whites and blacks can be real friends, but right now the country ain't built that way. Now you could be right 'bout Jeremy making a much finer friend that T.J. ever will be. The trouble is, down here in Mississippi, it costs too much to find out."
Jeremy takes a risk when he associates with the Logans, and Mr. and Mrs. Logan are uncomfortable with their children spending time with him. And the Logan children find it hard to understand how a person can go against his own kin.
Likewise, several of the black characters are caught between doing what is right and what is in their best interest. For instance, while Hammer is willing to risk his own life in order to stand up for justice, Big Ma is willing to tolerate injustice in order to preserve her family's life and land. While Mr. Morrison is willing to take some risk himself, he tries to convince the other men that, as he has learned, fighting will not solve the problem. It seems particularly difficult for Mr. Logan to restrain himself from reacting with violence. Mr. and Mrs. Logan do not accept things to be "just the way they are" as Big Ma has. They take a stand against injustice and take steps to change things, like when Mrs. Logan pastes over the inside cover of the readers, and when they promote the boycott against Wallace.
The most dynamic characters in the story are the children. They are in the process of learning from their parents and society what their place is. They are trying to figure out for themselves when it's the proper time to speak out or to fight. Stacey has a better understanding of the dangers involved in standing up for oneself than the others. Cassie, however, is torn between wanting revenge against the whites and seeing them punished, and being afraid of what could happen to her father or uncle. When confronted with injustice, Cassie's conscience persuades her to take action against it as she has seen her parents do. But will she be just as strong in her stand when she is older and has more at risk? The reader may also wonder if Jeremy will still have respect for the black people after he is a grown man.
The most pathetic character in the story is T.J. Although he himself is a victim of racial hatred and injustice, he buys into the idea that in order to be successful you have to be white. He is willing to lie, cheat, or steal in order to get what he wants. Since he cannot become white, he "crosses over" by allowing the white boys to use him against his own people. He ignorantly believes they accept him as an equal, when in reality he has sold himself into slavery to them in the hope of benefiting himself. He shows he has no respect for himself and that he has accepted that "white is better than black". In the end, T.J. learns the hard way that it's important to remain true to oneself.
I believe one idea the story demonstrates is that children learn either hatred or love from what they are taught and modeled by their parents. To put it another way: "you reap what you sow." For the most part, children who are taught self-respect and love will grow up to respect and be tolerant of others. Mama tells Cassie,
"We have no choice of what color we're born or who our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here."
On the other hand, children who witness hate and prejudice, especially by their parents, may grow up to be racist without even knowing why. The children in this story are challenged to decide for themselves which way they will choose. The contemptible Wallaces and Simmses in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry never show signs of changing, which shouldn't be a big surprise. Hatred that is so deeply imbedded takes a long time to weed out. Taylor uses the character of Jeremy as a foreshadowing of the hope that the next generation may bring change.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry deals with the cruel and unjust treatment of black people by the Southern white society they live in during the Depression era (1933). The story is told from the perspective of a black girl whose family must deal with the injustices and hatred they experience. One of my favorite things about Taylor's stories about the Logan family is the characters. It may be true that many of the characters in the book clearly fall under the category of either "good" or "bad." Most of the white people are depicted as hateful, and these characters never really change their ways. On the other hand, for the most part, the black people are portrayed as being honest, fair, and hardworking; most are religious and moral. However, a few characters are caught somewhere in the middle, seemingly pulled in both directions. Throughout the story several characters struggle with their identity, their role in society, and their sense of duty and loyalty.
In a society that resents the first generation of black people who are free from slavery, a few white people risk their own reputations and relationships, and even their safety by treating the black people as equals. For instance, the lawyer Mr. Jamison not only makes it clear that he disapproves of the way blacks are treated, but goes to the point of risking his career and possibly even his life when he backs up the credit of the black people who choose not to buy from Wallace. Another white man, Mr. Granger, at times shows some tolerance for the black people, but not because it is right to do so, but because it is in his own best interest.More interesting is Jeremy Simms. Although his family despises the blacks, this white boy has made up his mind not to adopt their attitude. He and the Logan children know that it is not acceptable for them to be friends. Mr. Logan warns Stacey,
"Maybe one day whites and blacks can be real friends, but right now the country ain't built that way. Now you could be right 'bout Jeremy making a much finer friend that T.J. ever will be. The trouble is, down here in Mississippi, it costs too much to find out."
Jeremy takes a risk when he associates with the Logans, and Mr. and Mrs. Logan are uncomfortable with their children spending time with him. And the Logan children find it hard to understand how a person can go against his own kin.
Likewise, several of the black characters are caught between doing what is right and what is in their best interest. For instance, while Hammer is willing to risk his own life in order to stand up for justice, Big Ma is willing to tolerate injustice in order to preserve her family's life and land. While Mr. Morrison is willing to take some risk himself, he tries to convince the other men that, as he has learned, fighting will not solve the problem. It seems particularly difficult for Mr. Logan to restrain himself from reacting with violence. Mr. and Mrs. Logan do not accept things to be "just the way they are" as Big Ma has. They take a stand against injustice and take steps to change things, like when Mrs. Logan pastes over the inside cover of the readers, and when they promote the boycott against Wallace.
The most dynamic characters in the story are the children. They are in the process of learning from their parents and society what their place is. They are trying to figure out for themselves when it's the proper time to speak out or to fight. Stacey has a better understanding of the dangers involved in standing up for oneself than the others. Cassie, however, is torn between wanting revenge against the whites and seeing them punished, and being afraid of what could happen to her father or uncle. When confronted with injustice, Cassie's conscience persuades her to take action against it as she has seen her parents do. But will she be just as strong in her stand when she is older and has more at risk? The reader may also wonder if Jeremy will still have respect for the black people after he is a grown man.
The most pathetic character in the story is T.J. Although he himself is a victim of racial hatred and injustice, he buys into the idea that in order to be successful you have to be white. He is willing to lie, cheat, or steal in order to get what he wants. Since he cannot become white, he "crosses over" by allowing the white boys to use him against his own people. He ignorantly believes they accept him as an equal, when in reality he has sold himself into slavery to them in the hope of benefiting himself. He shows he has no respect for himself and that he has accepted that "white is better than black". In the end, T.J. learns the hard way that it's important to remain true to oneself.
I believe one idea the story demonstrates is that children learn either hatred or love from what they are taught and modeled by their parents. To put it another way: "you reap what you sow." For the most part, children who are taught self-respect and love will grow up to respect and be tolerant of others. Mama tells Cassie,
"We have no choice of what color we're born or who our parents are or whether we're rich or poor. What we do have is some choice over what we make of our lives once we're here."
On the other hand, children who witness hate and prejudice, especially by their parents, may grow up to be racist without even knowing why. The children in this story are challenged to decide for themselves which way they will choose. The contemptible Wallaces and Simmses in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry never show signs of changing, which shouldn't be a big surprise. Hatred that is so deeply imbedded takes a long time to weed out. Taylor uses the character of Jeremy as a foreshadowing of the hope that the next generation may bring change.
Ilya Korobkov4.0 out of 5 stars Still vital
Great book depicting the life of a Southern black family struggling to keep their land, their dignity and their lives in the middle of the Great Depression. This is the first Logans novel, but I picked it after I'd read The Land, the latest entry in the series. Fortunately for me, The Land is also the prequel to the whole series, so there is nice continuity between two books.
Roll of Thunder is a children's book and the narrator, Cassie Logan, is a smart, bold and resourceful 9-year-old girl. Cassie is aware of racism to some extent (she and her brothers go to a blacks-only school, after all), but her parents try their best to shield their children from it. As the plot unfolds, however, Cassie is faced with scorn, intimidation and bullying from white people; she also learns from adults about much scarier stuff like beatings and night riders. Both Cassie and the gentle reader are spared the most horrific details, but if you know a bit about this period of US history, you can easily fill the missing blanks.
Despite its bleak subject and target audience, the book never indulges in black-and-white (ahem) morality, and its portrayal of characters is far from simplistic. Even the most vile racists in the book are portrayed realistically, with plenty of attention to detail; you can tell they were not born monsters, but became monsters of their own free will. Even the ending is ambiguous, a hard-won victory that feels more like a minor respite and may yet prove futile in the long battle for equality. For a children's book, this is a surprisingly grown-up outlook. I like it and if I ever have kids I'm looking forward to reading this book with them.
Roll of Thunder is a children's book and the narrator, Cassie Logan, is a smart, bold and resourceful 9-year-old girl. Cassie is aware of racism to some extent (she and her brothers go to a blacks-only school, after all), but her parents try their best to shield their children from it. As the plot unfolds, however, Cassie is faced with scorn, intimidation and bullying from white people; she also learns from adults about much scarier stuff like beatings and night riders. Both Cassie and the gentle reader are spared the most horrific details, but if you know a bit about this period of US history, you can easily fill the missing blanks.
Despite its bleak subject and target audience, the book never indulges in black-and-white (ahem) morality, and its portrayal of characters is far from simplistic. Even the most vile racists in the book are portrayed realistically, with plenty of attention to detail; you can tell they were not born monsters, but became monsters of their own free will. Even the ending is ambiguous, a hard-won victory that feels more like a minor respite and may yet prove futile in the long battle for equality. For a children's book, this is a surprisingly grown-up outlook. I like it and if I ever have kids I'm looking forward to reading this book with them.
Patricia Renard Scholes5.0 out of 5 stars Growing Up Requires Some Hard Lessons
Growing up can be hard, with almost impossible lessons to learn. Children growing up in the South needed to learn some survival lessons, such as when to speak up, and when to remain silent. The prejudice was so real it could become deadly quickly.
Mildred Taylor takes us through a culture of violence and prejudice, and some tools in how to survive these atrocities in strength and grace. The night riders were real. But there were also others who refused to take part in such activities. Tawdry drinking establishments were just as real, but there were some who learned to avoid those traps. There were traps of vengeance, of easy money, of false friendships.
The children in this family also learned to stand for what was right, even when it cost them dearly.
We could all learn these lessons, no matter the color of our skin. These are transferrable values, how to stand for righteousness and justice, what makes up a true friendship, even how to make honorable living work when everything seems to lean the other way.
I would recommend this book, not only for this historical value in the black-vs-white issues that still plague our nation, but in how to be honorable when all those about you seem dead set against you.
I have heard that one elementary school has chosen to remove this award-winning book from its library. That is a shameful decision.
As a result of that decision, I chose to buy the book and review it. It is a book well worth reading, one that still speaks to our time.
Mildred Taylor takes us through a culture of violence and prejudice, and some tools in how to survive these atrocities in strength and grace. The night riders were real. But there were also others who refused to take part in such activities. Tawdry drinking establishments were just as real, but there were some who learned to avoid those traps. There were traps of vengeance, of easy money, of false friendships.
The children in this family also learned to stand for what was right, even when it cost them dearly.
We could all learn these lessons, no matter the color of our skin. These are transferrable values, how to stand for righteousness and justice, what makes up a true friendship, even how to make honorable living work when everything seems to lean the other way.
I would recommend this book, not only for this historical value in the black-vs-white issues that still plague our nation, but in how to be honorable when all those about you seem dead set against you.
I have heard that one elementary school has chosen to remove this award-winning book from its library. That is a shameful decision.
As a result of that decision, I chose to buy the book and review it. It is a book well worth reading, one that still speaks to our time.