Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

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View books by Mildred D. Taylor.

book? - Rated
i am in year 8 and we have to read this pathetic excuse for a book in class. me and the rest of year agree it's terrible and you would be better off reading a proper account on what happen or just a better book.this book failed, to grab the years attention we are all board.
SO UNLESS YOU WANT TO DIE OF BOARDEM DON'T READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great read! Interesting and enlightening - Rated
That guy 'Ali g in da house' with his unintelligent name completely missed the point of this book. I'd hate to know what his grade was for that paper.
This book is powerful, and a riveting read. I am 17, and was given this book to read by my home-school tutor last year (I have an illness and was unable to go to school or do exams) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just got it out of the library to re-read, and I love it even more. I too took out the sequels, 'Let the Circle be Unbroken' and 'Road to Memphis' and loved them also. These books teach us a very important history, culture, and they teach us how it felt to be black living in that time! This is interesting reading for anyone with half a brain. The characters are great, Cassie is a very strong well-built character, and Christopher-John and Little Man are just loveable.
This book and its sequels are a must-read!

An enjoyable read,but........ - Rated
There is no doubt that this book is a superb and easy read,most would not be able to put it down once started,but i fear it is being taken out of context by schools.I myself read this book at school,as im sure most English children have.Unfortunatly books such as this,and 'To kill a mockinbird',are being used as left-wing propaganda by trendy,liberal teachers.Long gone are the days when Shakespear was the order of the day,now only PC books seem acceptable.Oh the literary joys of 'Cool Britania'.

Good Listening - Rated
My son studied the book in 2004 for GCSE English Lit. To help him along I purchased the cassette tapes as well .It was the best thing I ever did. It really helped him to understand the characters and themes more clearly.

NOT a book for school children - Rated
I agree with the person who wrote the review "Why was it written?". Although the author's intention may well have been to produce a work that highlights the injustice of prejudice by evoking sympathy for her characters, she has not succeeded. Many of the characters feel two dimensional, especially the older members of the Logan family, like mama and papa. Non of the characters are particularly likable, making it hard to sympathise with them. I too studied this at GCSE, and felt that it was painting a negative stereotypical portrait of black families living in the 1930s. Not all of the them were poor, child beating, defeated human beings. I would much rather have studied one of the true classics like "Wuthering Heights" or "1984".

I do not believe that this a good book for teenagers or younger children, as it approaches sensitive subjects like slavery, and prejudice in a very narrow context. Slavery is after all, something that has taken place on every corner of the globe since before the time of Roman empire. Prejudice is something that occurs in all walks of life. These are subjects that can only truly be understood when looked at in a global and historical context, not just in the microcosm that is 1930s America. If teachers and parents wish to educate children about these topics they should not attempt to over simplify them as this book has.