The Gold Cadillac

Logans #7

by Mildred D. Taylor

This book is another powerful story in the Logan Family Saga and companion to Mildred D. Taylor's Newbery Award-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. A drive South becomes dangerous for 'Lois and her family. 'Lois and Wilma are proud of their father's brand-new gold Cadillac, and excited that the family will be driving it all the way from Ohio to Mississippi. But as they travel deeper into the rural South, there are no admiring glances for the shiny new car; only suspicion and anger for the black man behind the wheel. For the first time in their lives, Lois and her sister know what it's like to feel scared because of the color of their skin. - Publisher.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Childrens, Historical, African American

43 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Mildred DeLois Taylor is an African-American writer known for her works exploring the struggle faced by African-American families in the Deep South.

Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but lived there only a short amount of time, then moved to Toledo, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. She now lives in Colorado with her daughter.

Many of her works are based on stories of her family that she heard while growing up. She has stated that these anecdotes became very clear in her mind, and in fact, once she realized that adults talked about the past, "I began to visualize all the family who had once known the land, and I felt as if I knew them, too ..." Taylor has talked about how much history was in the stories; some stories took place during times of slavery and some post-slavery.

Taylor's most famous book is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In 1977, the book won the Newbery Medal. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the middle book, chronologically, in the Logans series that also includes titles such as The Land, Song of the Trees, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, and The Road to Memphis. Her collective contributions to children's literature resulted in her being awarded the inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2003.

Reviews

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

We get some new characters here, and I'm not sure how they're related to the Logans of the other books. From the author's notes at the end, this is a story from her own childhood, and of course all the other Logan books are based on her family's history, so there's a connection there somewhere.

This is very short, only 23 pages once you factor in the various illustrations the paperback has. It's pretty straightforward: a black family drives their brand new gold Cadillac from Ohio into the Jim Crow South, and the children encounter their first glimpse of systemic racism.

While I really like the longer books, overall, these short stories leave me wishing they were longer, at least novellas, but it still makes for a chilling snapshot about how these systems can imprint on a person's mind, especially a child's.

[A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Taylor's work particularly Song of the Trees, but this novella left me a little flat -- it doesn't have her characteristic character depth and liteary detail. It has a powerful story to tell, but the delivery doesn't have her usual depth and dimension.

[4.ashante! · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Gold Cadillac, by Mildred D. Taylor, is one of a series of works of fiction in which the author explores African-American history. Like her other books, The Gold Cadillac is told from the perspective of a young person and is a great book for younger readers. I enjoyed tis book because i like books that are made for my age group.

The book's narrator, nicknamed 'lois, lives with her family in Toledo, Ohio, around 1950. Her father's purchase of an extravagant gold Cadillac causes some family friction. But the intense drama comes when the family piles into the car and takes a trip south, into communities poisoned by racial segregation and other manifestations of racism.

Taylor is frank, but not sensationalistic, in her portrayal of racism. And although the book ultimately celebrates the strength of a Black family, the book is not sentimental and does not, in my opinion, trivialize the scars of racism. And although Taylor is certainly a writer in the tradition of children's literature, I also see The Gold Cadillac and her other books as being a firm part of a larger African-American literary tradition. Certainly, this book has a good deal in common with such "adult" African-American literature.

[January · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gold Cadillac by Mildred D. Taylor
Logans #7[chronological] #4 [publication]
45-page Kindle Ebook, story pgs 7-42

Genre: Historical Fiction, African-American Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Family

Featuring: 1950, Prejudice, Race Relations, Family, Racism, Children, Toledo and Ottawa Hills, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Mississippi,
Author’s Note, Excerpt From Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Chapter One

Rating as a movie: PG

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💛🚘

My thoughts: This story was very good. It was shorter than expected but has a lot to offer. I think it would be a great story for older preschoolers kids as well as middle-grade children. Almost like a short version of The Watson's Go to Birmingham, but it was written first and doesn't have specific historical events.

Recommend to others: Yes. This story was quick and nonviolent.

Logan Family Saga
1. Song of the Trees (1975)
2. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1976)
3. Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981)
4. The Gold Cadillac (1987)
5. The Friendship (1987)
6. Mississippi Bridge (1990)
7. The Road to Memphis (1990)
8. The Well (1995)
9. The Land (2001)
10. All the Days Past, All the Days to Come (2020)

Logans
1. The Land
2. The Well: David's Story
3. Song of the Trees
4. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
4.5 Mississippi Bridge
5. Let The Circle Be Unbroken
5.5 The Friendship
6. The Road to Memphis
7. The Gold Cadillac
8. All the Days Past, All the Days to Come

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

***NOTE: As part of our 2020 reading challenges, my mom and I are revisiting the old works of her favorite YA author, Mildred D. Taylor, and will soon get to read All the Days Past, All the Days to Come for the very first time.***

This one would be a good option for younger readers, but I’m not sure it is actually in the Logan series. Are these the kids of Stacey/one of his brothers? We don’t hear about the Logans having family in Ohio or Detroit in the previous stories, as I recall. I will be trying to look more into the “definitive order” of the series as listed by Mildred D. Taylor and her publishers. For instance, I remember that some of the books have a Narnia-like listing on their opening pages. If I am successful at finding this official order, does anyone know how to change this within Goodreads???

[Norberto Leyva · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Gold Cadillac” is part history and part of the main character’s perspective. Wilma is 10 years old and lives in Ohio. One day she sees her dad pulling into the driveway with a golden Cadillac. The dad and children were very excited about the car, but the mom was not. They were saving up for a house, and was angry he bought the car. The mother refused ride in the car. On Sunday Wilma thought her mother would give in and ride in the car on the way to church, but she does not and they end up walking.
The dad plans to take a trip to Mississippi to see his family and the neighbors warn him about discrimination he may face driving South in the Cadillac. The whole family plus the rest of their extended go along in different cars. While traveling Wilma notices signs that say “whites only” and “color only.” The dad was questioned by the police about where he bought the car. One cop takes the dad and the other drives the car to the police station. Because he was black the police thought the car was stolen and made the dad pay a fine.
Wilma realized that being black changed the way people saw them and treated them in Mississippi. The dad traded cars with his brother because they were having too much trouble in the Cadillac. He eventually sold the car because he was putting the family in danger and wanted to save up for the house.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the discrimination blacks felt because reading the book could help create a cultural awareness.

[Corbin Billington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family sticks together to help guide each other when they do not agree on something. In this book the African American family did just this. They stuck together, although the mother did not agree with the father's decision to buy the new car. This shows a message of courage and loyalty that the families had for each other. I recommend this book to people of all ages because the message it reveals is good for everybody to know in life. It may be easier to some, but the message it reveals is great. I feel this book's theme relates to me in the sense of family bondage. Overall, I rated the book three out of five stars.

[Robyn Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells a story about two girls who live in the northern state of Ohio with their parents. The family's prize possession is their father's brand new gold cadillac. This story touches on the issue of racism, when the family travels down to rural Mississippi. The family helps each other to overcome this obstacle and return home. In the end, the family learns a major lesson about unity. This story is a great read aloud for black history month. Teachers can read this story to their students and help them to understand the racial hardships that occurred in this country.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this right after finishing The Watsons Go to Birmingham, and they pair very well. The Gold Cadillac is such a concise story, and Mildred Taylor is an expert at the whole "show, don't tell" way of writing. We can infer that the mother is displeased with the father's purchase of the car because of how she acts. We can feel the racism in the interaction between the police and the family. We can infer the danger the family feels by the way the father opts to switch cars before they finish the drive to Mississippi. For such a short story, it is packed with insight into that time period.

[Lincoln · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read "The Gold Cadillac" by Mildred D. Taylor. I thought this book was interesting because it takes place many years ago when racial segregation was going on. It is about a African American dad who buys this brand new Cadillac, then decides he is going to drive it down to Mississippi too see some relatives. He runs into some issues on his way there because of segregation. I would recommend this book to anyone 10 or above because of certain history things you would need to know in advance to understand what’s going on.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book affords exploration of the history of segregation in America, African American traditions, racism, social justice, and more universal themes involving family.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella written by Mildred D Taylor has herself as the main character, as her middle name is DeLois, yet has the least depth of all her books in the Logan series. In this short story, Lois and Wilma are thrilled when their father comes home with a brand new gold Cadillac, but their mother is decidedly not happy about it. The family is saving up for a new home, and the father went out and purchased this new car without consulting her. She refuses to ride in it until they decide to drive from Ohio to Mississippi to visit family but on their journey there the family is pulled over by white police and harassed simply because they are Black and driving a new car. The girls are frightened and the father makes a decision in regards to the car to keep them all safe. When I first read this story years ago, I was struck by the racism and the unfairness of it all, which was the point. But now years later, and a wife myself I have an additional thought-I think the husband was so wrong to be making such a financial decision without consulting his wife- good for her to show her displeasure!

[Katherine Loyacano · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gold Cadillac is a historical fiction novella by Mildred D. Taylor. It follows Lois and her family, who travel from Ohio to Mississippi during the 1950s in their father’s brand-new gold Cadillac. What should have been an exciting road trip with family turns into a frightening experience as Lois sees the reality of segregation in the rural south.

I loved both Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Mississippi Bridge by Mildred D. Taylor, but it had been a while since I had read anything by this wonderful author. So, for Middle Grade March, I chose this short story for the BIPOC Author and Historical Fiction prompts. It is no surprise that I really enjoyed it. I loved that the story is told through Lois’s perspective. Readers are shown through her eyes how unfair treatment and prejudice affects her family directly as well as the effect on many other families in a segregated south. Taylor writes in a simple but powerful way, helping young readers understand an important part of American history while also focusing on family strength and courage.

[Chantal]

This book is about a boy who lived in the big house with his mom, daddy, and sisters.
They lived in a busy street.One day they decided to go hotel then when they got there
they saw the sign that says no colored people who have to enter in hotel. Later the police
took his daddy in other place and others stayed in the car, after few hours they brought
him back home.

The most thing l like about this book how they joined together and talk together as a family.


I think the people who can read this book is the people who still think that all people are not
equal. they should know that every one have equal right and it doesn't matter who you are.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lois' father bought a gold Cadillac one day much to her mother's dismay. He decides to go on a road trip to Mississippi to visit family despite dire warnings. They soon learn how dangerous it is for a black man to own a ritzy vehicle in the Deep South. When the return to Ohio, Lois' father decides to sell the car for the sake of family peace.

[Barbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story to help younger students have just a taste of the racial issues of the 50s in the south- from a child's perspective. Where it shows some of the segregation issues and skin color profiling, it is written appropriately for 3rd graders to help them understand the injustice of discrimination.

The characters are lovable, family is strong, and the neighborhood is a close knit community.

[Esther Soberanis]

Text-to- Teaching Connection

The Gold Cadillac by Mildred .D. Taylor I picked up the book and looked at the cover. This book is about two African American girls who are proud of their father new Cadillac. As I read this novel taught of ideas of how I can use this text with students. First students will write a summary of the story. Next students will discuss what other event was going on during this time mention in the text. Finally, students will be asked to find a book to relate closely to this time when segregation was going on. Students will then share their findings.

[Never Without a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted more. 3.5stars

[Sierra Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The purpose of the author writing this book is to show the readers how hard it was for black people back in those times where racism was huge. Most people get so caught up with integration that they forget how their ancestors were treated or were treating others. They also do not realize that it is still happening today. People turn around when they see something bad happening instead of noticing that there is a problem. Back in the late 1980’s life was no piece of cake for the blacks. They had to hide, in order to survive.
I think that this book was very interesting because it taught me some life lessons. It taught me to appreciate the opportunities I have been given and to live life to the fullest using those opportunities. This book was more of a dramatic/serious story that had a moral. If I was to relate myself to a character it would be Lois because her view on life completely has changed. She uses to live in the north without racism and hatred, where the whites correlated with the blacks. Now she is going to the south where everything is the complete opposite. She feels like she has to adapt to survive, and I feel the same way about my life. Just like Lois I have to get use to knew people and new surroundings every day.
This book gives off a positive impact based on negative events. It is like being scared straight. They give you information on what can happen to black people in the south. It makes people realize how bad racism really is. It serves as a wake-up call to not only the blacks, but also to the white people today. This impact will have a huge impact that will stick with people because they see the two sides of the story. They see the victim, and the defenders point of view. Both of these things are needed in order to understand story.
The Gold Cadillac is very well written. This book is based on the past events, and is very much accurate. The part in the book when Lois father says “” it gives the audience a clear mindset of what is really going on and what Lois father is feeling. The part when the author describes how the kids have to hide from the white men shows a lot of emotions. It shows fear, courage, and anxiety. Having all of those emotions combined allows the audiences/readers to be pulled into the story, and wonder what is going to happen next. Every book should be written to push the reader to keep reading.
This book has a few good and bad strengths. I think that the greatest strength of this book was how particularly detailed the author was about the events, and the feelings going on. Also how he told the story mostly based on facts. Although he had some good strength, one weakness was the beginning of the story and how the author didn’t answer all of the questions that the reader may have. I feel like the beginning was short and rushed and then the story went straight into the interesting part. Because of these details I would definitely introduce this to a friend. This may inform her/him of the horrible things that blacks use to go through.

[Aleksandra]

This is a story set in 1950’s of a 10-year-old African American girl Wilma who lives with her family in Ohio. One day her father buys a golden Cadillac, and her mother is visibly upset because they were saving money to buy a house. The father wants to visit family in the South, so they set off for Mississippi in their new car, with other extended family members in other cars. As they move deeper into the segregated South, Wilma notices the “whites only” and “colors only” signs. People stare at them strangely. At one point, cops take the whole party to the police station and they question the father about the car. It turns out they think he stole the car because he is black, and they make him pay a fine. Wilma realizes that being black somehow changed the way people saw them in Mississippi. Eventually the father sells the car to save up for the new house.
This book is an example of historical fiction because it is set in a historical period of segregation. It portrays the prejudice and racism that was prevalent in that historical time.
I would recommend this book for grades 2-5 (Some teachers might want to share it with their younger students in grade 1, for example, if they feel that they would understand the topic.) Lexile level is 650L, and grade equivalent 4.5. It can be used as a read aloud with students in grades 2-3 and independent read in grades 4-5. The book is not long (46 pages), so it is suitable for reluctant readers. Also, if used as a read-aloud, it won’t take too much time to finish.
Students can practice inference comprehension strategy with this book, because many important details are shown by the actions of the characters. Teacher can ask questions to scaffold this process, such as, “How did the mother feel about the car? How can you tell?” (Because the writer describes her behavior.) Likewise, students can make inferences about prejudice and suspicion shown by some people in the book. Students can analyze which actions show this.
Students can compare and contrast the characters of the mother and father and their attitudes about the new car (what were their conflicting interests?) They can trace the character development and maturation of Wilma as she becomes aware of open racism in the South. Other concepts to teach include point of view, plot, main problem and solution (this can refer to the problem of the car, and the solution of selling it, or the problem of racism and the solution of eradicating it – students can lead this discussion.)
Themes to explore are racism, prejudice, economic inequality (why would it be unusual for a black person to own a Cadillac in the South?) This is a good book for integration of social studies - teaching about segregation and how it affected the daily lives of African American families.

[Maclaren Michalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. At first when I read the summary, I didn't think I would like the book at all. But having read "Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry" which is also by Mildred D. Taylor, I thought I would give it a try. I am beyond happy that I decided to give it a try and read it! This is an incredibly powerful story about how African Americans were treated at the time, especially when they possessed nice "material" items. This story follows Lois and her family's trip to the South in her father's brand new gold Cadillac. It gives glimpses into how black people were consistently questioned when they had high quality items. This is shown in the book when Lois's father is questioned about where he got his car from. Then he is taken to the police station while the other cop drives the father's car there. I found this book to be quite eye opening. I also found Lois and Wilma's thoughts incredibly interesting as they are just children while all this was going on. All in all, I thought this was a wonderfully written book and I could see many children being able to relate to Lois.

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is 1950, and Lois and Wilma, two African-American girls, live in Toledo, OH, with their parents, Wilbert and Dee. Several aunts and uncles live nearby. One day Daddy trades in their Mercury for a brand new gold Cadillac. However, Mother doesn’t like the new car because the family is supposed to be saving up to buy a new house, so she refuses to ride in it, even to church. She and the girls walk! However, when Daddy determines to drive the Cadillac down to Mississippi for a visit to the grandparents and all the other relatives decide to make the trip too, Mother has to go along.

After they cross the Ohio River, the girls begin to notice something that they’d never seen before. There are signs saying, “Whites only—Colored not allowed.” Then just inside Mississippi, the gold Cadillac gets separated from the other relatives. All of a sudden, they hear a police siren behind them and stop the car. Two white officers get out of their car and accuse Daddy of driving a stolen vehicle. One of them puts him in the police car, the other drives the Cadillac, and they all head to the police station. The policemen take Daddy inside. Will Daddy go to jail? What will Mother and the girls do? And what will happen to the gold Cadillac?

This short account accurately portrays the kinds of situations that black people often found themselves facing in the South during the days of “Jim Crow,” as these two young girls from the North encounter racial prejudice for the first time. While race relations in this nation may not be perfect, it is good for young people to see the progress that we’ve made today as compared to how things “used to be.” The story also celebrates the strength of an African-American family. Mildred Taylor is best-known as the author of the Newbery Medal winning Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry and related books about the Logan family in Depression-era Mississippi. Even though the timing is a bit later, I have to wonder if the grandparents in Mississippi might not be the Logans.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor, Mildred D. The Gold Cadillac. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc,1987. Print.

Review for The Gold Cadillac
This short story called The Gold Cadillac, It’s for Taylor, Mildred D. in 1987. The author use first person to write this story. The book have 43 pages and it is a small book. It has colorful cover but just black and white inside. On the cover, the readers can see the main character-a black girl and the gold cadillac. All the story are around them.
The story happened in a black family in 1950s. The father gave his family members a big surprise- a gold cadillac car! Everyone were very happy except his wife because she thought he didn’t talk with her and they needed save money to buy a good house. The father bought his daughter and family members ride through lots of places but the mother never join them. When they come to church by the gold cadillac car, she walked to there. She was still mad at him. One day, the father decided to drive the car to south and visited their grandparents. Everyone couldn't understand because it’s 1950 and it’s dangers. Then, the parents brought two daughters start the trip. They prepared all the stuff they need. The father didn’t let his daughter talk with white people. When they were on the way to south, they can see “write only” everywhere. And two policemen stopped them because they think it’s not their car! They brought them to the police station! Finally, they had a happy week with their grandparents. When they came back, the father made a big decision again. He sold the new gold cadillac car to save money and get a nice house.
I think the opinion of author are let everyone know the life and feeling of the black people. And when you make a decision, it’s better to ask other people’s idea. For me, i think white people should read this book. Everyone should be fair although they don’t have same skin, but we all are human!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mildred Taylor has done another beautiful job of taking a difficult situation to explain some 75-85 years after it happened and successfully explaining it in terms young folks today can understand and learn important social and historical lessons from.

Having spent a lot of time in the South as a child and having been the first generation of my family to live north of the Mason-Dixon Line, I feel as though I completely understand this story and it is one of many I have come to rely on Ms. Taylor to explain to my children for me as I do not have the words.

In 2013, I feel like I still see too much of the prejudice of white folks' jealous over people of color succeeding in this world where they themselves have failed as individuals. What I feel like is missing is the understanding that "individuals" succeed or fail - not entire "races". I feel like since the Reagan Era, Americans have become an nation of individuals rather than clusters of blacks, whites, hispanics, asians, men, women, etc.

The Gold Cadillac gives a glimpse into what America was like when the divisions were greater and based more on skin color than individualness and success or failure. It is an important lesson on the need to look deeper into an individual rather than stopping at the level of his or her skin. It's a lesson that is timeless and cannot be skipped over even in the 21st century. As a society, we still categorize people and group them together to look down upon them in larger numbers. Taylor helps us remember members of these groups are human beings, individuals, deserving of our respect and interest.

[Panagiota · Rating 4 out of 5]

CIP: Two Black girls living in the North are proud of their family's beautiful new Cadillac until they take it on a visit to the South and encounter racial prejudice for the first time.

My notes: This book is about an African American family whose dad just came home with a brand new Cadillac that he traded in for a Ford. His daughters and extended family are really excited about the new purchase, but his wife refuses to accept the new car because they had a perfectly fine car and are trying to save up for a new home. The mom still has not accepted the new car when the dad decides to drive the Cadillac down south. The mom thinks this is a bad idea because there is segregation. As the family is driving, the dad gets arrested, probably because he is black. On the way to the police station they could see signs for only white people and only black people. They soon decided to go back up to Ohio and the dad traded in the car because he felt they didn't need it because he finally realized what the mother was trying to tell him in the first place. They ended up getting their old car back and being together as a family is all that matters to them.


Again, like The Well, I would use this book with Civil Rights movement literature and write about the accounts of real life people. I would also have the students visualize and try putting themselves in the characters' footsteps. I would also have students read this book as well as Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry because it is from the same author and students can pick out similarities and differences.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mildred Taylor has done it again! Taylor, the Newberry Award-winning author of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, wrote the Gold Cadillac, is an eye-opener for all ages about the racial divide that occurred in the South during the 1950s. ‘Lois and her sister Wilma are excited when their dad gets a brand new gold cadillac and tells his daughters it is theres to keep. Someone who isn’t excited about it and wants the Cadillac returned: ‘Lois and Wilma’s mother, who instead wanted that money to be used for a new house. When the girl’s father decides to take a trip to the South to visit family, the girls are excited, but soon learn that not everyone is excited about the gold cadillac as they are and soon Wilma and ‘Lois find out what it’s like to be scared due to the color of their skin.
I would use this book for students in grades second through fifth grade. I would use this book to teach during a unit about making inferences. This book provides many places throughout to make inferences on why certain things are happening. For example, this could be done when the father goes to jail. Students could make inferences about why he would go to jail just for driving the car.
This book was a WOW book to me because I think it really is an eye-opener about what really was happening during the 50s. I think that this book is engaging for students but also gives them insight of what was going on, on a level where they would understand it.

[Adam James · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read this short story to our 6th graders every year - I figured I'd give my "2017 Shelf" a little heft.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Lois and Wilma live in Ohio. One day, their father brings home a brand-new golden Cadillac. Their mother is angry, and she refuses to ride in it because the money used for the car was going to be spent on a house. She continues her protest until her husband decides to visit his grandparents in Mississippi even though his brothers tell him that driving a fancy new car down South is dangerous. When 'Lois’ mother sees that he is determined to go, she says that she will go, too. 'Lois’ aunts and uncles decide to follow them and lend support. They make a lot of food and pack many big picnic baskets. 'Lois gets caught up in the excitement thinking that it will be a grand trip. Everything goes well until they reach Tennessee and start seeing signs of discrimination. In Memphis, the family is separated from their relatives. As soon as they cross the Mississippi line, they are stopped by police. The policemen accuse 'Lois' father of stealing the Cadillac. They handcuff him and take him to jail. For the first time in their lives, 'Lois and Wilma are afraid because they are black. ‘Lois’ first person narrative shares the raw emotion that quickly changes from excitement to fear to humiliation. Taylor’s eloquent style gives the reader a frank depiction of racial prejudice during the 1950s without any sensationalism.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gold Cadillac is about a story of two girls who live in Ohio, and their family makes a trip to the south in their new cadillac. However, as they get deeper into the south, the more things begin to change. The girls realize that the laws and people aren't the same in the south as they are in Ohio. In this story the young girls, Lois and Wilma, conquer discrimination and prejudice that they face in the south because of the color of their skin. Taylor does another great job of making the reader feel and relate to that which is going on to the characters in the book. I think this is a great picture book for middle elementary students. I believe this book is ideally great for grades second through fourth. Taylor does an excellent job in stressing the importance of family, and how wrong and hurtful discrimination is for any person.

[Dru · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about two girls growing up in Ohio in the 1950s. When the family goes up to visit them they get stopped because of their race and because they think the car stolen because it's a golden Cadillac. I thought this was a good book because of the ending. The ending was sweet because even though they had a Model T Ford, Wilbert, (Father), said to "hold my head high." I thought that was inspiring because when your feeling embarrassed just hold your head high. I liked that Lois, (main character), didn't go to sleep because she was so scared that something was going after her and her family so she held a knife in her hand the whole night. Then when she fell asleep the mother had the knife. I would recommend thins book to 5th and 6th graders who like history or just for group reading classes.