This book is based in the Southern US during Depression Era of the 1930's. Jessilyn Lassiter is a white girl living on a farm, who has an African American best friend named Gemma. Gemma's parents die in an accidental fire and Gemma comes to live with Jessilyn. Jessilyn has a temper, quick tongue and raging curosity that often gets her in trouble

The people in the town of Calloway are not accepting of the decision for a white family to take in a 'colored' girl. Because of this, they are made to be outcasts at the very best, and are violently threatened by the KKK at the worst. This book tells the tale of a 13 year old's journey though bigotry and violence over the course one awful summer.

I took a chance on this book, as it was free for the Amazon Kindle. It was amazing. I was hooked from the first page and read it in only two days. It was an adjustment to read the stilted Southern accent that all the characters had in the book, but once I got used to it, it was fine. I think this book would be an appropriate class reading project for 7-8th graders, but still has great appeal to an adult as well. It certainly could be likened to the lessons taught in 'To Kill A Mocking Bird'.

I found out later that there are two more books in the series. I guess that explains why the first was free: I'm certainly hooked. I have just bought #2 in the series (Cottonwood Whispers) and will be begin reading that today.