Module 10 Book - Historical Fiction / Picture Book - Freedom Summer

Freedom Summer

written by Deborah Wiles

illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue

Bibliography

Wiles, D., & Lagarrigue, J. (2001). Freedom summer. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
ISBN-10: 0-689-83016-5

Brief Summary

Freedom Summer, set in the South in 1964, is representative of historical fiction which uses fictional characters in a real situation. The book reflects the social tradition and values, as well as laws, of separating white Americans and black Americans. The fictional characters Joe and John Henry are young friends. Being of Caucasian decent, Joe is able to enter Mr. Mason’s General Store whereas John Henry is not. Joe is also entitled to swim in the town pool. John Henry is not. However, a law is passed stating that white Americans and black Americans will sit side by side at the lunch counter, use the same restrooms and drinking fountains, and…swim in the town pool. Joe and John Henry can’t wait! In spite of this law, rather than allow the pool to be open to black Americans, the town fills the pool with asphalt. Nevertheless, the young friends don’t give up. After sitting on the diving board and discussing the unfairness of the townspeople’s decision, they walk arm in arm through the front door of Mr. Mason’s General Store to purchase cold, refreshing ice pops for the hot summer day.

My Impressions

Although the story of this uncommon friendship between two young boys in the South is endearing, Lagarrigue’s vibrant illustrations steal the show! His colorful pictures successfully embody the emotions of the time period. The book provides a delightful experience.

Reviews

“‘John Henry Waddell is my best friend,’ begins the narrator of this story, set during a summer of desegregation in the South. John Henry is black and the narrator is white…The boy's voice, presented in punchy, almost poetic sentences, feels overly romanticized, even contrived in places. It's the illustrations that stun. In vibrantly colored, broad strokes, Lagarrigue, who illustrated Nikki Grimes' My Man Blue (1999), paints riveting portraits of the boys, particularly of John Henry, that greatly increase the story's emotional power. Beautiful work by an illustrator to watch… Ages 5-8.”

-- Booklist (February 15, 2001)
Gillian Engberg

“Wiles draws on memories of her childhood summers in Mississippi in her first picture book, a slice-of-life story about Joe, a Caucasian boy, and his best friend…John Henry’s hurt and shame ring true in the text, but Joe’s precocious understanding of the situation outstrips his age. (I want to see this town with John Henry’s eyes). An author’s note at the beginning of the book describes her experiences and the atmosphere in her own hometown during this era, when some white business owners preferred to close down rather than open their doors to African-Americans. Younger children will need this background explanation to understand the story’s underlying layers of meaning, or the filling-in of the swimming pool will seem like a mindless bureaucratic blunder rather than concrete prejudice in action. Teachers and parents could use this book as a quiet but powerful introduction to the prejudice experienced by many Americans, and of course the book is a natural to pair with the story of another, more-famous John Henry. Vibrant full-page paintings by talented French-born artist Lagarrigue capture both the palpable heat of southern summer days and the warmth of the boys’ friendship. (Picture book. 6-12)”

-- Kirkus Reviews (January 1, 2001)

“Set in Mississippi during the summer of 1964, Wiles's affecting debut children's book about two boys one white and the other African-American underscores the bittersweet aftermath of the passage of the Civil Rights Act…Wiles delivers her message incisively through the credible voices of her young characters, narrator Joe and his best friend, John Henry, whose mother works as housekeeper for Joe's family…The tale ends on an upbeat if tenuous note, as the boys walk together through the front door of a once-segregated shop to buy ice pops. Lagarrigue's (My Man Blue) softly focused, impressionistic paintings capture the lazy feel of summer days and affirm the bond between the two boys. The artist's close-up portraits of the boys' faces, as well as the body language of other characters, reinforce the narrative's powerful emotional pitch. Ages 4-8.”

-- Publisher’s Weekly (December 4, 2000)
Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Suggestions for Library Use

Although quite sobering at times, even children benefit from learning the history of our past, those events/mindsets of which we’re proud and those of which we’re not. Therefore, the use of Freedom Summer with any grades as a lead-in to the study of the Civil Rights Movement, the history of the South, prejudice/discrimination, African-Americans, or loyalty/friendship might enhance the engagement and emotional connection of the learner.