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backonthealex's review
5.0
It's Saturday night, June 20, 1964 in Greenwood MS and Sunny Fairchild, 12, and her older stepbrother Gillette, 14,, have just snuck into the municipal pool in Greenwood MS for a forbidden nighttime swim. But as Sunny backstrokes to the edge of the pool, her hand suddenly touches someone else and as she screams and screams, a young black boy, every bit as afraid of Sunny as she is of him, runs from the pool, grabbing his clothes and a pair of new white Converse hi-tops.
Raymond Bullis, 14, just wanted to know what it was like swimming in the cool, clean "white only" pool, especially since the "black" pool had been closed for a long while now and black kids could only swim in the muddy river.
This night begins a intertwined journey which will take Sunny and Raymond through a summer of change that will impact both of their lives as each comes of age in the time that will become known as Freedom Summer
Sunny has heard so much about the so-called "invaders", as the local media refers to those "Civil Righters" coming south to help register black voters and to set up Freedom Schools for their children, but she is also dealing with "invaders" at home. Sunny was perfectly happy living with just her father and an idealized idea of her mother, a person only known to her in a photo with Miranda, age 19 written on the back. Sunny has convinced herself that her mother loved her but she left her as a baby because she needed adventures. Now, Sunny's father has just remarried and everything's changed. He's brought a new family to live in the house, stepmother Annabelle, Gillette and his little sister Audrey, 5. And even though Annabelle wants nothing more than to be a mother for Sunny, Sunny is resistant to her every attempt, testing her over and over.
For Raymond and his friends, change can't come fast enough - in fact, even SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) are too slow. But when he takes things into his own hands, he brings down all the wrath and hatred of Deputy Davis, a little too quick with physical force when it come to the activists, both black and white, and the black residents in Greenwood.
The novel is told from three points of view - Sunny, Raymond and a narrator there to fill in some of the blanks about Sunny's mother and father, as well as Annabelle's first abusive husband, a cop friend of Deputy Davis. The narrative is interspersed with photos, song lyrics, speeches, political slogans, posters, pamphlets and four of what Wiles calls "opinionated biographies" of SNCC's Bob Moses, Lyndon Johnson, the Wednesday Women and Muhammad Ali, all important figures of the Civil Rights movement, so that the reader genuinely feels wrapped up in the events of that summer along with Sunny and Raymond.
Sunny and Raymond are both believable characters, well drawn as children of the time. Sunny has always accepted the way things are, believing that the blacks on the other side of the tracks were happy with their separate but definitely not equal lives, and so Freedom Summer is a real eye opener for her.
Raymond gives the reader a credible picture of what life was like on his side of the tracks, from the lack of electricity, indoor plumbing, proper schools and recreation for kids to the threat of job loss if one dared step out of line, all designed to keep blacks down.
If there is a flaw in this book, for me it is the thankfully-not-very-time-consuming substory of the young Civil Rights activist, Jo Ellen Chapman, who reminds Sunny of her mother. Sunny, even as she realizes Jo Ellen is not really her mother, becomes a little obsessed with her, and the whole thing comes to a quick but unsatisfactory resolution by the end of the book.
As a former history teacher, I loved reading Revolution. It is a truly wonderful book, and one you won't soon forget as it brings history to life and life to history. It is the second book of a planned trilogy. The first book, Countdown, takes place in Washington D.C. and is the story of Jo Ellen's younger sister Franny, 12, and covers time of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. It is also written in the same documentary style. I am really looking forward to the third book, which takes place in 1966. 1962, 1964 and 1966 were all important, pivotal years in our recent history.
Want to know more about Freedom Summer?
Deborah Wiles has Pinterest boards for both Revolution and Countdown that have more documentary resources for interested readers who might like to follow her boards. A particular favorite of mine is the 1962 and 1964 playlists of what kids were listening to back then. Be sure to check them out.
Scholastic offers a PDF discussion guide for the Civil Rights Movement, that includes Revolution and The Freedom Summer Murders by Don Mitchell, as well as suggestions for addition books on this important topic.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased for my personal library
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
Raymond Bullis, 14, just wanted to know what it was like swimming in the cool, clean "white only" pool, especially since the "black" pool had been closed for a long while now and black kids could only swim in the muddy river.
This night begins a intertwined journey which will take Sunny and Raymond through a summer of change that will impact both of their lives as each comes of age in the time that will become known as Freedom Summer
Sunny has heard so much about the so-called "invaders", as the local media refers to those "Civil Righters" coming south to help register black voters and to set up Freedom Schools for their children, but she is also dealing with "invaders" at home. Sunny was perfectly happy living with just her father and an idealized idea of her mother, a person only known to her in a photo with Miranda, age 19 written on the back. Sunny has convinced herself that her mother loved her but she left her as a baby because she needed adventures. Now, Sunny's father has just remarried and everything's changed. He's brought a new family to live in the house, stepmother Annabelle, Gillette and his little sister Audrey, 5. And even though Annabelle wants nothing more than to be a mother for Sunny, Sunny is resistant to her every attempt, testing her over and over.
For Raymond and his friends, change can't come fast enough - in fact, even SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) are too slow. But when he takes things into his own hands, he brings down all the wrath and hatred of Deputy Davis, a little too quick with physical force when it come to the activists, both black and white, and the black residents in Greenwood.
The novel is told from three points of view - Sunny, Raymond and a narrator there to fill in some of the blanks about Sunny's mother and father, as well as Annabelle's first abusive husband, a cop friend of Deputy Davis. The narrative is interspersed with photos, song lyrics, speeches, political slogans, posters, pamphlets and four of what Wiles calls "opinionated biographies" of SNCC's Bob Moses, Lyndon Johnson, the Wednesday Women and Muhammad Ali, all important figures of the Civil Rights movement, so that the reader genuinely feels wrapped up in the events of that summer along with Sunny and Raymond.
Sunny and Raymond are both believable characters, well drawn as children of the time. Sunny has always accepted the way things are, believing that the blacks on the other side of the tracks were happy with their separate but definitely not equal lives, and so Freedom Summer is a real eye opener for her.
Raymond gives the reader a credible picture of what life was like on his side of the tracks, from the lack of electricity, indoor plumbing, proper schools and recreation for kids to the threat of job loss if one dared step out of line, all designed to keep blacks down.
If there is a flaw in this book, for me it is the thankfully-not-very-time-consuming substory of the young Civil Rights activist, Jo Ellen Chapman, who reminds Sunny of her mother. Sunny, even as she realizes Jo Ellen is not really her mother, becomes a little obsessed with her, and the whole thing comes to a quick but unsatisfactory resolution by the end of the book.
As a former history teacher, I loved reading Revolution. It is a truly wonderful book, and one you won't soon forget as it brings history to life and life to history. It is the second book of a planned trilogy. The first book, Countdown, takes place in Washington D.C. and is the story of Jo Ellen's younger sister Franny, 12, and covers time of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. It is also written in the same documentary style. I am really looking forward to the third book, which takes place in 1966. 1962, 1964 and 1966 were all important, pivotal years in our recent history.
Want to know more about Freedom Summer?
Deborah Wiles has Pinterest boards for both Revolution and Countdown that have more documentary resources for interested readers who might like to follow her boards. A particular favorite of mine is the 1962 and 1964 playlists of what kids were listening to back then. Be sure to check them out.
Scholastic offers a PDF discussion guide for the Civil Rights Movement, that includes Revolution and The Freedom Summer Murders by Don Mitchell, as well as suggestions for addition books on this important topic.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased for my personal library
This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading
libscote's review
4.0
The book starts with 40 pages of quotes and pictures. I was a little daunted by that at first (did I forget "Countdown"?) but once I got past it, I was captivated by Sunny and Ray and Freedom Summer. I hope kids can get past those first 40 pages. They are great background information and really helped illuminate the story for me. It freshened my memory of what happened that summer, and provides context for anyone that might not have learned it yet. It also feels very timely, since the Voting Rights Act was just adjusted this year and race relations are still at the forefront of many people's thoughts right now. An excellent read.
It's not necessary to read "Countdown" to appreciate this book.
It's not necessary to read "Countdown" to appreciate this book.
couillac's review
4.0
For the anniversary of Freedom Summer, you can't do much better than this multi-faceted historical novel about that tumultuous time as seen through the eyes of three young people in Greenwood, Mississippi. Wiles incorporates primary source material, from photographs and song lyrics to speech excerpts and letters, providing a rich historical context for the adventures of Sunny, her step-brother Gilette, and Ray, an African-American boy from the other side of town.
There are moments when Sunny's presence as a witness to critical historic events seems a tad convenient, and the ending, which adds in the prospect of Vietnam and the draft, doesn't quite gel with the rest of the novel's focus on domestic affairs. I also can't quite make up my mind about the breaks in narrative created by the primary source material. While they add such a rich and fascinating layer to the story, I also found it more difficult to get into a rhythm with the narrative action. Ray's story arc was a bit more of a challenge for me as a reader, as well. While I appreciated having an alternative perspective, I struggled to pin him down as a real character rather than simply a tool to show the other side of the story.
Still, Sunny is an entirely memorable character, and I loved spending time with her and her complex family - her entirely realistic relationship with new brother Gilette and sweet little Audrey was a joy to read. I appreciated that the adults were all struggling with Freedom Summer in different ways, and I liked the loose ends, with many questions raised about the future of Greenwood but most things unresolved. It's an engaging read and an illuminating glimpse of the reality of Freedom Summer from a ground-floor perspective.
Overall, Wiles' second volume in her Sixties trilogy may not hook every leisure reader, but certainly makes for a rich discussion and teaching tool.
There are moments when Sunny's presence as a witness to critical historic events seems a tad convenient, and the ending, which adds in the prospect of Vietnam and the draft, doesn't quite gel with the rest of the novel's focus on domestic affairs. I also can't quite make up my mind about the breaks in narrative created by the primary source material. While they add such a rich and fascinating layer to the story, I also found it more difficult to get into a rhythm with the narrative action. Ray's story arc was a bit more of a challenge for me as a reader, as well. While I appreciated having an alternative perspective, I struggled to pin him down as a real character rather than simply a tool to show the other side of the story.
Still, Sunny is an entirely memorable character, and I loved spending time with her and her complex family - her entirely realistic relationship with new brother Gilette and sweet little Audrey was a joy to read. I appreciated that the adults were all struggling with Freedom Summer in different ways, and I liked the loose ends, with many questions raised about the future of Greenwood but most things unresolved. It's an engaging read and an illuminating glimpse of the reality of Freedom Summer from a ground-floor perspective.
Overall, Wiles' second volume in her Sixties trilogy may not hook every leisure reader, but certainly makes for a rich discussion and teaching tool.
jmmeyer's review
3.0
I switched between the audio and the paper versions of this one. Both are really interesting structurally. It's a documentary style which is something I've not really read before and it was very cool. My only issue was that the story didn't do much for me. It wasn't bad but it just didn't connect with me. The characters often times got on my nerves *the reader of the main story on the audio is horrible. Her Southern accent was like driving a spike through my eye. I had to read all those chapters.* I hope there are more books that play with this structure because it's very cool but I felt like, for the most part, this read like a glorified text book and just didn't do much for me. I give it three stars though because the information was good and I am excited at the way it was formatted.
26nutakoch's review
4.0
I did really enjoy it but I think it's one of those books adults will love to tell kids they should read...
afro75's review
5.0
Sonny, Gillete, and Raymond are young people growing up in the segregated town of Greenwood Mississippi. Sonny is dealing with the perils of an absent mother, new step-mother, and her divided loyalties between the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee and her families loyalties to the separate but equal doctrine prevalent in the south. Gillete is a young man searching for his place in a new family, and his strained relationship with his father. Raymond is a young African American boy who is tired of being denied access to the best pools, schools, and movie theaters. Revolution combines the voices of these three young people with the voices from the SNCC members, the KKK, and residents of Greenwood, Mississippi in an engaging read depicting the turbulent times of freedom summer in 1964. This book is a great read for teens or tweens that need a historical fiction title.
emilycc's review
4.0
It’s the summer of 1964, and Mississippi is filling with young volunteers from all over the country, here for a Freedom Summer during which they’ll set up schools and community centers in black communities and encourage African-Americans to register to vote. Sunny, a white girl about to turn thirteen, is barely aware of the changes going on around her. She’s content to listen to the Beatles’ new record, go to the pool in the afternoons, and spend her evenings at the movie theater, where her uncle Parnell always lets her in for free. Raymond, a black boy, isn’t so lucky. There’s a Freedom Rider named Jo Ellen staying at his house, and his mother wants to register to vote, regardless of the consequences. Intertwined with Sunny and Ray’s stories are historical documents - photographs, newspaper clippings, leaflets, song lyrics - as well as short essays by the author that provided background information and evoke the summer’s uneasy mood. Revolution is a beautifully crafted and beautifully written book that provides a complex look at the summer of 1964. Highly recommended for grades 5-8.
wordnerd153's review
4.0
A engaging, well-researched follow up to Countdown about a critical time in American history and the civil rights movement - the Freedom Summer of 1964. I appreciate how Wiles presents multiple viewpoints on racism and oppression, supplementing the story with primary source documents. By the end I was a little teary, thinking of how far we have come since the 1960's but heartbroken over how much more work we still have to do.
skrajewski's review
5.0
It's the summer of 1964, and Sunny lives in Greenwood, Mississippi. Family, friends, and neighbors keep telling her "invaders" and "agitators" are coming from the North, and she's worried. What will this mean for her? Sunny already feels like her life is tough enough as it is. Her father remarried, and now his new wife Annabelle and her two children are living with them. Sunny does, however, connect with her new step-brother Gillette. One night, they even sneak into the local pool to go swimming, only to find they are not alone. Raymond Bullis, a young Black boy about their age, is there to swim too. Soon, Sunny, Gillette, and Raymond find themselves always running into one another. What follows are various events based on what really happened during Freedom Summer.
Just like in Countdown, real images are woven in, making the story that much more real for the reader. Revolution meant so much more to me though. I felt like I was right there with Sunny the whole time, and I was proud of Jo Ellen's participation in the movement. This book will give readers a small, but vivid, look into what many people went through during Freedom Summer in Mississippi. I look forward to incorporating excerpts and images from this book within my curriculum.
Just like in Countdown, real images are woven in, making the story that much more real for the reader. Revolution meant so much more to me though. I felt like I was right there with Sunny the whole time, and I was proud of Jo Ellen's participation in the movement. This book will give readers a small, but vivid, look into what many people went through during Freedom Summer in Mississippi. I look forward to incorporating excerpts and images from this book within my curriculum.