The Soul Brothers and Sister Lou

by Kristin Hunter Lattany

African-American teen Louretta Hawkins discovers music and, through it, the worth of her black identity. She navigates an urban world of poverty, overcrowding, hostile police, and feuding gangs to emerge triumphant, secure in her talent and in the love of her family and friends. Winner of the Council on Interracial Books for children award as the year's best book for older children. "Packs a wallop Taut, fast-moving, absorbing, and believable, it probes with honest realism the problems of a wide range of unforgettable characters This powerful book deserves wide reading."- Book World

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Childrens

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Kristin Elaine Hunter (September 12, 1931 - November 14, 2008) was an African American writer from Pennsylvania. She sometimes wrote under the name Kristin Hunter Lattany.

Hunter was born Kristin Eggleston in Philadelphia, attended the University of Pennsylvania and wrote for the Pittsburgh Courier, a black newspaper, until 1952. Her first novel, God Bless the Child, was published in 1964; like most of her work, it confronts complex issues of race and gender. Her 1966 novel The Landlord was made into a movie by Hal Ashby.

Reviews

[Cherese A. Vines]

I liked this book. Although it did not have the emotional pull that I expected, it was a good story about a time that seems so distant but isn't. The characters encounter the problems of a generation caught between being Negroes and the new horizon of embracing pride for being Afro-Americans. It shows the struggle of a generation striving for more than their parents had in education, lifestyle, etc. while having those same parents telling them not to aspire for more and be satisfied where they are.

Louretta is a smart character who seems a bit old for her age (14). She has no friends and a large family that she sometimes feels lost in. She wants to join in with kids her age but she is an outsider because of her lighter skin. As Louretta deals with these feelings of isolation, she also becomes sort of friends with a group of boys who are in a gang. She is often torn between defending them and being upset with their need to fight and become "hoodlums." However, Louretta learns that the motivations of each of the boys is not a need to be delinquent for its sake, but a consequence of the options they are given by their station in life and the choices they make because of it.

This is a coming-of-age story that shows the different avenues each person can take even when given the same opportunities and limitations. Each person still has the right to choose which path they will take.

I recommend this for a quick read.

[Elizabeth Gibbs]

Set in a poor black community, Lou's older brother and man of the house opens a printing press. His (William's) sister Lou and some neighborhood boys use the building for a clubhouse. A dance brings the cops and a political battle ensues when one of the kids is shot. Some of the choices that Lou made given her circumstances and the way she lived were eye-opening.

[Edy]

Louretta Hawkins is being torn between two ways of life: violence and peace. Growing up in a Northern Black ghetto is not easy for a gentle human being like Lou. She sees herself as the only hope the gang has; she believes in them. The leader of the gang, Fess, is a revolutionary who is seeking attention. Lou knows that unless she find some way of directing this tide of anger only more hardships and violence for the Blacks can result. The novel develops rapidly to the turning point. The novel acts as a mirror of society as seen through a Black's eyes. Hunter has used the themes of racism, maturation, friendship and togetherness to create the impact of the novel. The book's weakness is the last chapter.

(I read this novel in the 70s when I was taking an adolescent lit. class. The critique came from one I did for the class.)

[Candy Bonneville]

I first read this book around 1970, in around 5th grade, and then read it at least once a year. I can't wait to get my own copy.

[Ruby malik]

Slow start to the year (busy!) but loved my first book. A random charity shop find that was emotional, well written, and heart warming

[Wendi]

This is very much its own story, but also, it is the Black teen-ager's The Outsiders, with a girl for the lead character. It's dated the same way The Outsiders is, and timeless in the same way as well. It still holds up. It addresses hard stuff without wallowing in it, and it isn't always easy.

There is a teen pregnancy, police brutality, an unjustified shooting of a young Black boy (and it hurts to see the same issues in a 1968 YA novel still in the news today), and a suicide attempt, but they are handled as gently as possible.

There is also love, laughter, music, music history (I wish this book had a soundtrack), poetry, joy, jokes, family strength, and more.

Several young characters have nothing much good to say about Christianity and church. Most moms I know would want to be aware of that. There are other characters who give an alternative point of view.


Spoiler: One issue I did have strong objections to- one of the teen boys who has spouted some extremely misogynistic things throughout the story attempts to rape or at best assault the 14 y.o.girl. She fights him off and gets home safely. However, even though her big brother sees that something has happened and questions her (with much love and concern) she tells nobody, and this is portrayed as the right choice. She sees his attempt to assault her as some call for pity and support and works hard to make sure he has support and outlets for his creativity so he won't go down this dark path. Somehow it becomes her responsibility to protect and encourage this would be rapist.. There is no real understanding or sympathy for *her* experiencing a sexual assault at all, other than crying herself to sleep that night. After that she goes into brave girl must protect the ego of the poor would be rapist mode.
They do not have a romantic relationship. But I hated everything about this part of the story. Fortunately, it isn't a large part of the book.

This is a good book to read following the trilogy about the Gaither girls vy Rita Williams-Garcia.

[Tammy Knowles]

The Soul Brothers and Sister Lou, by Loretta Hawkins is a book about a smart 14 year old girl name Loretta Hawkins that tries so hard to fit in. She doesn't feel like she belongs because no one will accept her because of her lighter skin tone This story tells about how the younger strive so hard to have more than your parents had when they were growing up. Loretta must chose to fight her way to become friends with the rough side in order to survive or try her best to motivate other to make better choices in life. This was one of my favorite books it is an excellent book for middle school students.

[Renee]

Reading all these current books about police shootings reminded me of this one. It was written nearly 50 years ago and I read it a lot of times as a teenager and even recommended it to friends to read. A friend told me after she read it her mom read it.

I even read the sequel. I would recommend the book today but it’s hard to find.

[Lottie]

I really love this book. I love how educational it is on racism, and raises much needed awareness about colourism, and there's talk on misogyny in there too. I just wish the devastating event in chapter twelve wasn't so glossed over.

[CLM]

This was on the reading list for incoming 7th graders at my school. I think it was the first book I read about a black family.

[Gael Morgan]

This book was overall very lovely and for the most part had great messaging. Unfortunately, I have to take a star off for the dismissal of a very serious assault scene. It's made to portray the assaulter as the one who needs to be pitied and the redemption arc this character had felt incredibly unearned. A small gem, though, for sure! A weird final chapter that rubbed me the wrong way, but the descriptions of music and messaging of kids banding together to make a difference despite their differences made this a pretty great read!

[Alayna Forehand]

I wish I knew more about the Martin Luther King Jr. era to be able to appreciate this book more. It was sweet, definitely sad, but the ending was a little unrealistic given the time period.

[Traci Joseph]

One of my all time faves. I read it as a teenager and it always felt real. I didn't live in that kind of neighborhood, but her teen girl feelings were so real to me.

[Mariah Riley]

I see what they were trying to do but ended up falling pretty flat. Still an enjoyable read anyway