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Crossing Jordan
Twelve-year-old Cassie's life is changed when Jemmie, a Black girl, and her family move in next door. Can she and Jemmie overcome family prejudice and cultural differences in a small, working-class town?
Cass is dreading a long, lonely summer until Jemmie and her family move in next door. The only their families don't want them socializing with each other and they have deeply help prejudices, exemplified by the fence Cassie's father builds between their two houses.
Despite their parents' warnings, Cassie and Jemmie start communicating through a hole in the fence and find they share more similarities than differences. Mutual interests in reading and running draw them together, and their wariness of each other disappears. But when their parents find out about the burgeoning friendship, each girl is forbidden to see the other. A family crisis and celebration provide opportunities for the families to reach an understanding.
With unforgettable characters, author Adrian Fogelin addresses the complex issues of bigotry and tolerance with sensitivity and intelligence, poignantly reminding readers of fences that too often separate us from one another.
Cass is dreading a long, lonely summer until Jemmie and her family move in next door. The only their families don't want them socializing with each other and they have deeply help prejudices, exemplified by the fence Cassie's father builds between their two houses.
Despite their parents' warnings, Cassie and Jemmie start communicating through a hole in the fence and find they share more similarities than differences. Mutual interests in reading and running draw them together, and their wariness of each other disappears. But when their parents find out about the burgeoning friendship, each girl is forbidden to see the other. A family crisis and celebration provide opportunities for the families to reach an understanding.
With unforgettable characters, author Adrian Fogelin addresses the complex issues of bigotry and tolerance with sensitivity and intelligence, poignantly reminding readers of fences that too often separate us from one another.
140 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
13 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Adrian Fogelin
18 books21 followersAdrian Fogelin is the author of several novels for middle readers and young adults, including Crossing Jordan and The Real Question. She lives in Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 15, 2013
This afternoon I grabbed a glass of wine and this MG book (which I had purchased for my 10 year old granddaughter) and sat down to read a bit. I did not get up until I had finished the book! It was that good, that engrossing.
Add Crossing Jordan to your reading list, and share it with a middle schooler!
In the late afternoon a few days ago I sat down with a glass of wine and a book I had just purchased for my ten year old granddaughter and planned to read for 'awhile'. I did not get up until I had finished reading the book. It was that good, that engrossing, and that easy to read.
Crossing Jordan is a timeless story of a black family moving into the neighborhood. The scene is the South, but it could be anywhere. Most of us immediately think we know what will happen, and it does, but along with 'it' happening comes some wonderful moments and insights. This is a soft treatment of prejudice, nature, and friendship. There is no hitting you over the head with a message, it is just there, naturally.
The story opens with word going through the neighborhood that Mis Liz's old place has been sold to a black family. The white father next door immediately puts up a fence, recalling Robert Frost's "A good fence makes good neighbors," but we know that being a good neighbor is not what he has in mind. He wants nothing to do with and forbids his daughters to have anything to do with the black family moving in. When the black family arrives we learn that there is prejudice there also. The mother wants nothing to do with and forbids her daughter to have anything to do with the white family next door. "Stay away from that house, stay away from them" is the message they both receive.
Ironically, that tall wooden fence offers them a way to get to know each other that they would not have had without it for they naturally communicate through the knothole and through the boards.They feel they can do this and follow their parents' instructions for they do not go into each other's yards.
The girls share many interests, but it is their love of running that truly brings them together. They practice in the early mornings, at the school track, and form a team. They even name their team....Chocolate Milk. Their light-hearted use of this familiar term for their friendship exemplifies the soft, sensitive approach Ms. Fogelin uses to portray her message against prejudice. There is nothing heavy-handed in this book.
Through time, a wise old grandma, a near tragedy, a dead woman, and Jane Eyre the families finally come together. As for Cass and Jemmie, who won their first major race ? They both did, but not in the manner the reader expects.
Although this is a serious subject, the book is not serious and ponderous in its approach. It is fun reading, with very likable characters on both sides of the fence, and there are many scenes that accurately portray the lives of young people about to enter or in middle school.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to give it to my granddaughter. I think she will enjoy it and pass it to cousins and friends to read.
Add Crossing Jordan to your reading list, and share it with a middle schooler!
In the late afternoon a few days ago I sat down with a glass of wine and a book I had just purchased for my ten year old granddaughter and planned to read for 'awhile'. I did not get up until I had finished reading the book. It was that good, that engrossing, and that easy to read.
Crossing Jordan is a timeless story of a black family moving into the neighborhood. The scene is the South, but it could be anywhere. Most of us immediately think we know what will happen, and it does, but along with 'it' happening comes some wonderful moments and insights. This is a soft treatment of prejudice, nature, and friendship. There is no hitting you over the head with a message, it is just there, naturally.
The story opens with word going through the neighborhood that Mis Liz's old place has been sold to a black family. The white father next door immediately puts up a fence, recalling Robert Frost's "A good fence makes good neighbors," but we know that being a good neighbor is not what he has in mind. He wants nothing to do with and forbids his daughters to have anything to do with the black family moving in. When the black family arrives we learn that there is prejudice there also. The mother wants nothing to do with and forbids her daughter to have anything to do with the white family next door. "Stay away from that house, stay away from them" is the message they both receive.
Ironically, that tall wooden fence offers them a way to get to know each other that they would not have had without it for they naturally communicate through the knothole and through the boards.They feel they can do this and follow their parents' instructions for they do not go into each other's yards.
The girls share many interests, but it is their love of running that truly brings them together. They practice in the early mornings, at the school track, and form a team. They even name their team....Chocolate Milk. Their light-hearted use of this familiar term for their friendship exemplifies the soft, sensitive approach Ms. Fogelin uses to portray her message against prejudice. There is nothing heavy-handed in this book.
Through time, a wise old grandma, a near tragedy, a dead woman, and Jane Eyre the families finally come together. As for Cass and Jemmie, who won their first major race ? They both did, but not in the manner the reader expects.
Although this is a serious subject, the book is not serious and ponderous in its approach. It is fun reading, with very likable characters on both sides of the fence, and there are many scenes that accurately portray the lives of young people about to enter or in middle school.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to give it to my granddaughter. I think she will enjoy it and pass it to cousins and friends to read.
February 23, 2009
Crossing Jordan by Adrian Fogelin won many awards.
The VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates) Award in 2000
The ALA (YALSA) 2001 Best Books for Young Adults
IRA 2001 Notable Books for a Global Society (Honor Book)
Georgia Children’s Book Award 2001/2002
Rebecca Caudill (IL) Young Readers’ Book Award 2003
Sequoayah (OK) Young Adult Book Award 2002/2003
South Carolina Junior Book Award 2002/2003
Sunshine State (FL) Young Readers’ Award 2002/2003
This book led me into researching 2 things. First of all, I spent almost an hour you-tubing Crossing Jordan spirituals (and then got distracted into you-tubing my favorite spiritual, Wade in the Water). The Grandmother in the book is frequently singing this song, and it is sort-of the running soundtrack for the book: playing in hard times when the girls are making their way as friends. Secondly, I needed to see what all these awards were all about. The book was good, but that is the task ahead of me for this read.
This book is about two girls who overcome the prejudice of their parents to become friends. Their friendship helps break down the barriers between the adults and their troublesome history with bigotry.
Mostly, this book won state awards. First things first--this is the first Rebecca Caudill Award wining book I have read for this class. Of course, I have read most of the winners of this award over the years without ever realizing it, which, I see now, includes everything from Hoot to Holes, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Frindle, Number the Stars to Matilda, The Giver to Shiloh. In her rugged way, Rebecca Caudill’s defines a good book as one that “sticks to your ribs.” I didn’t know she lived and wrote in Urbana, IL, and that this award is given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades 4-8 in participating Illinois schools. Ah ha--I hadn’t realized this was voted on by students! This is just like the Monarch Awards! Okay, now things are coming together in my head.
State Awards aside, this book is also an IRA Notable Book for a Global Society. It meets these criteria (from their website):
• Portrays cultural accuracy and authenticity of characters in terms of (a) physical characteristics, (b) intellectual abilities and problem solving capabilities, (c) leadership and cooperative dimensions, and (d) social and economic status;
• Is rich in cultural details;
• Honors and celebrates diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;
• Provides in-depth treatment of cultural issues;
• Includes characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact substantively and authentically;
• Includes members of a “minority” group for a purpose other than filling a “quota.”
I was most proud of this accomplishment for the book. It does a seemingly effortless job of doing all these things. The book really rings true and doesn’t feel contrived, which I think is probably the most difficult thing to do when accomplishing all of these things. It really belies the fact that there is a true story under here worth telling besides that of all these issues…a timeless one… of friendship.
It also won the VOYA Award in 2000. VOYA is a bimonthly journal addressing people who work with young adults, 12-18, and literature. I was interested in the fact that this group is owned by Scarecrow Press. I find it a real conflict of interests for a publishing group to be handing out awards and would like to know exactly which award-giving groups are funded by or owned by publishers (so that I can be skeptical of them), and what exactly their motives are for doing so. This is something I don’t quite understand. Perhaps this is something we could discuss in class further. It would help me to know which awards I really want to take seriously, and which I want to question. I find a real distatste for awards being used as a marketing tool.
Finally, when researching what ALA/ YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) is all about, I see that they have a new award for nonfiction beginning in 2010. I also hadn’t realized that the Odyssy Award for audiobooks and the Printz Award for young adults were under this same umbrella. I see that the Morris Award, which is for a YA book that is written by a previously unpublished author. just debuted this year. Okay, now I am beginning to chunk some of this information on awards and differentiate it. The awards change; new ones are being made all the time.
Crossing Jordan was a good book, a solid good read. I recommend it. The most it has done for me for this class was to help me clarify for myself where these awards come form and how they are changing all the time and which groups sponsor them.
The VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates) Award in 2000
The ALA (YALSA) 2001 Best Books for Young Adults
IRA 2001 Notable Books for a Global Society (Honor Book)
Georgia Children’s Book Award 2001/2002
Rebecca Caudill (IL) Young Readers’ Book Award 2003
Sequoayah (OK) Young Adult Book Award 2002/2003
South Carolina Junior Book Award 2002/2003
Sunshine State (FL) Young Readers’ Award 2002/2003
This book led me into researching 2 things. First of all, I spent almost an hour you-tubing Crossing Jordan spirituals (and then got distracted into you-tubing my favorite spiritual, Wade in the Water). The Grandmother in the book is frequently singing this song, and it is sort-of the running soundtrack for the book: playing in hard times when the girls are making their way as friends. Secondly, I needed to see what all these awards were all about. The book was good, but that is the task ahead of me for this read.
This book is about two girls who overcome the prejudice of their parents to become friends. Their friendship helps break down the barriers between the adults and their troublesome history with bigotry.
Mostly, this book won state awards. First things first--this is the first Rebecca Caudill Award wining book I have read for this class. Of course, I have read most of the winners of this award over the years without ever realizing it, which, I see now, includes everything from Hoot to Holes, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Frindle, Number the Stars to Matilda, The Giver to Shiloh. In her rugged way, Rebecca Caudill’s defines a good book as one that “sticks to your ribs.” I didn’t know she lived and wrote in Urbana, IL, and that this award is given to the author of the book voted most outstanding by students in grades 4-8 in participating Illinois schools. Ah ha--I hadn’t realized this was voted on by students! This is just like the Monarch Awards! Okay, now things are coming together in my head.
State Awards aside, this book is also an IRA Notable Book for a Global Society. It meets these criteria (from their website):
• Portrays cultural accuracy and authenticity of characters in terms of (a) physical characteristics, (b) intellectual abilities and problem solving capabilities, (c) leadership and cooperative dimensions, and (d) social and economic status;
• Is rich in cultural details;
• Honors and celebrates diversity as well as common bonds in humanity;
• Provides in-depth treatment of cultural issues;
• Includes characters within a cultural group or between two or more cultural groups who interact substantively and authentically;
• Includes members of a “minority” group for a purpose other than filling a “quota.”
I was most proud of this accomplishment for the book. It does a seemingly effortless job of doing all these things. The book really rings true and doesn’t feel contrived, which I think is probably the most difficult thing to do when accomplishing all of these things. It really belies the fact that there is a true story under here worth telling besides that of all these issues…a timeless one… of friendship.
It also won the VOYA Award in 2000. VOYA is a bimonthly journal addressing people who work with young adults, 12-18, and literature. I was interested in the fact that this group is owned by Scarecrow Press. I find it a real conflict of interests for a publishing group to be handing out awards and would like to know exactly which award-giving groups are funded by or owned by publishers (so that I can be skeptical of them), and what exactly their motives are for doing so. This is something I don’t quite understand. Perhaps this is something we could discuss in class further. It would help me to know which awards I really want to take seriously, and which I want to question. I find a real distatste for awards being used as a marketing tool.
Finally, when researching what ALA/ YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) is all about, I see that they have a new award for nonfiction beginning in 2010. I also hadn’t realized that the Odyssy Award for audiobooks and the Printz Award for young adults were under this same umbrella. I see that the Morris Award, which is for a YA book that is written by a previously unpublished author. just debuted this year. Okay, now I am beginning to chunk some of this information on awards and differentiate it. The awards change; new ones are being made all the time.
Crossing Jordan was a good book, a solid good read. I recommend it. The most it has done for me for this class was to help me clarify for myself where these awards come form and how they are changing all the time and which groups sponsor them.
June 14, 2016
1. Genre - Multicultural
2. Awards - Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee
3. Grade Level - 5-6
4. The students would read the book outside of the classroom and in class we would group into assigned literature circles in which the students would discuss aspects of race, gender, and other tough topics in society that people seem to want to ignore rather than address and change. This would continue in class until the date in which the students were assigned to have finished the book. At the end of the unit, the groups that the students had been in during the literature circles would have to pick a tough topic and prepare a short play to present to the class that shows a way to change the issue or to simply talk about it. At the end, all the students as a class would paint a mural together that represented all the topics that their plays were about and we would hang it up in class. It will be important to discuss with the students that we know that not this alone is changing these big, tough issues that we face in our world, but talking about things that are ignored is a start, and must be continued.
2. Awards - Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee
3. Grade Level - 5-6
4. The students would read the book outside of the classroom and in class we would group into assigned literature circles in which the students would discuss aspects of race, gender, and other tough topics in society that people seem to want to ignore rather than address and change. This would continue in class until the date in which the students were assigned to have finished the book. At the end of the unit, the groups that the students had been in during the literature circles would have to pick a tough topic and prepare a short play to present to the class that shows a way to change the issue or to simply talk about it. At the end, all the students as a class would paint a mural together that represented all the topics that their plays were about and we would hang it up in class. It will be important to discuss with the students that we know that not this alone is changing these big, tough issues that we face in our world, but talking about things that are ignored is a start, and must be continued.
August 11, 2019
Much like the other Fogelin book I just read, this one was a sweet story. Probably even greater for the intended audience. It was surprisingly entertaining reading it again and I appreciate the delicate balanace of providing insight and valuable lessons without being trite. I docked a star though because there are major Jane Eyre spoilers in this book and I just don't know how I feel about that.
January 19, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book. I made sure that i understood every sentence in this novel, because I absolutely love the characters in this book. I love the fact that Cass and Jemmie not only learnt the words in Jane Eyre but also used them. I thought that was inspiring. I have to say that the author took me by surprise in the race that that they did for the fundraiser for sickle-cell anemia-I really thought they were going to win the race and everything. But it was even better when Cass didn't leave Jemmie side when she fell down. Go, Chocolate Milk! Go! Go number 32 and 33. I was happy that Cass and Jemmie's friendship helped break the negative thoughts that Cass's father felt about African Americans and the thougts that Jemmie's mother felt about the whites.
Refreshing
Refreshing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2018
Crossing Jordan is a line from a Negro Spiritual hymn. It meant freedom during the days of slavery in America. In this story we read that some adults after the Rosa Parks era and civil rights Supreme Court decisions still hold on to separate ideas. We learn these prejudices were taught to them by their parents. But two seventh graders who meet because of their love to run teach adults about humanity. Cass a white girl and Jemmie her new black neighbor become running mates and best friends. Through humor and patience they change long held views held by their parents. Their running team name says it all, Chocolate Milk.
Adrian Fogelin, the author, experienced discrimination in her neighborhood in the late 70's when she was growing up in Tallahassee Florida. This story is based on the experience she observed. It is realistic fiction. This book has been on the middle school Battle of the Books program list for many years, off and on since it was published in 2000. So, this book has been used for competition in the BOB program. The girls, Cass and Jemmie are seventh graders so having taught seventh grade I would suggest this book be used to start discussions about topics such as socio economic differences, race relations, and differences in generations. Cass and Jemmie brought these topics out while they sneaked around to become neighbors hiding their relationship from their prejudiced parents; Jemmie's mother and Cass's dad. Jemmie's mother was also a nurse, while Cass's dad was a production worker. The symbolism of the fence that Cass's dad built between the properties was shocking and a wake up call for their other neighbors! A book, Jane Eyre, brought the two girls together originally, and then the obvious connections: same grade; smart girls; liked boys; and they loved to run!! I personally was "wowed" by how Fogelin enveloped the novel, Jane Eyre into the content of this novel, Crossing Jordan!
Adrian Fogelin, the author, experienced discrimination in her neighborhood in the late 70's when she was growing up in Tallahassee Florida. This story is based on the experience she observed. It is realistic fiction. This book has been on the middle school Battle of the Books program list for many years, off and on since it was published in 2000. So, this book has been used for competition in the BOB program. The girls, Cass and Jemmie are seventh graders so having taught seventh grade I would suggest this book be used to start discussions about topics such as socio economic differences, race relations, and differences in generations. Cass and Jemmie brought these topics out while they sneaked around to become neighbors hiding their relationship from their prejudiced parents; Jemmie's mother and Cass's dad. Jemmie's mother was also a nurse, while Cass's dad was a production worker. The symbolism of the fence that Cass's dad built between the properties was shocking and a wake up call for their other neighbors! A book, Jane Eyre, brought the two girls together originally, and then the obvious connections: same grade; smart girls; liked boys; and they loved to run!! I personally was "wowed" by how Fogelin enveloped the novel, Jane Eyre into the content of this novel, Crossing Jordan!
October 18, 2025
I haven’t read this book since the spring of 2007, when the theme for the upcoming book report was sports (the two main characters are runners). I liked it very much as a twelve-year-old, but much like the recently reread Yankee Girl (lately I’ve been enjoying rediscovering books from childhood), I liked this better as an adult. Jemmie and Cass are great characters; I really believed in their friendship, and I laughed with joy as they read Jane Eyre together. I loved how Cass’s dad wasn’t magically accepting of Jemmie’s family at the end; he was still prejudiced, but he was trying. (I also loved how the racism wasn’t cartoonish and over the top; that would have been an easy way out, and I appreciate that the author didn’t do that.) This is an author who knows how to show bonds between family and friends, and that’s something I really love.
August 8, 2020
My 4th time reading this book in my life and still stands as one of my favorite books. Such a feel good book to me and so close to home! This book made me want to be known as the runner girl in school. Also love how they read Jane Eyre, was like reading 2 books in 1!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2018
Very strong and powerful. I love how the author touches on the idea of racism. It's a big issue in the world now and I think that people should to write about it more.
June 10, 2020
About halfway through I looked to see when this was written because it felt old...but 2000. I'm not sure how well it has aged in 20 years, but the message is still a good one
December 28, 2020
Great book for middle school focusing on friendship and race.
November 9, 2021
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version read by the author, Adrian Fogelin! I had also read and enjoyed the book in print format a few years ago, so this was a "reread" for me.
April 17, 2022
I'm not the intended audience, but I really enjoyed this book. It was sweet, and partly sad, with a good ending. I wish there was more though, or a sequel!
October 27, 2012
Crossing Jordan By Fogelin Adrian
This book is a story about a girl named Cass Bodine who was dreading a long and very lonely summer, until a black family moved into the neighbor hood and right next door to them. The black family that moved next door had a daughter called Jemmie. Casse’s father is the type, who doesn’t want anything to do with blacks and Jemmie’s mother was equal to the task of staying away from such people. As such, both families wanted to stay on their own.
Jammie and Cass became good friends and their friendship grew stronger and stronger for each other. Cass and Jemmie’s friendship was only known to both of them and also to Jemmie’s grandmother Nana Grace. Nana Grace was the old lady who always want peace, and would do anything in other for there to be peace and for the two girls to have their friendship going.
Jemmie and Cass loved running so, they would have practice at the school field, and try to see who is the fastest on the track. They always encouraged each other and they both decided to join the school running team and called themselves, Chocolate Milk. Everywhere they went, they introduce themselves as Chocolate Milk because they were black and white.
One day, Jemmie and Cass entered in for the town’s fun fair running race, which they were hoping to win, to come up first position, but unfortunately for them, Jemmie fall, she was badly hurt and was unable to finish the race. Cass on the other hand, would have taken the position of winning but she just couldn’t finish the race without her best friend Jemmie, so Cass went back to help jemmie and they both walked to the finish line together. The crowd cheered them even though they came in last place. The press and newspapers found this gesture very interesting and puts them in the front page of the newspaper and when they were asked what their names were, they told them, Chocolate Milk.
Cass and Jemmie were not just winners at the race even though they came in last place; they were now on the front page of the town’s newspaper, this brought pride and joy to both families. At the end of it all, Casse’s father who would have nothing to do with the new neighbors went to their house for dinner because the girls persisted on keeping their friendship and since it was the two girls in the front newspaper, Cass. Bodin’s father had no other choice but to join in the dinner.
Crossing Jordan is a great, very easy to follow and an exciting book. After I picked the book up, it was hard to drop because I wanted to find out what happened next. This book shows that young people can sometimes be the object of making a change possible. Crossing Jordan has lots of lessons that young adult can learn from in spite of all obstacles, they still found a way of keeping their friendship.
I will teach this book over and over to my class if need be.
This book is a story about a girl named Cass Bodine who was dreading a long and very lonely summer, until a black family moved into the neighbor hood and right next door to them. The black family that moved next door had a daughter called Jemmie. Casse’s father is the type, who doesn’t want anything to do with blacks and Jemmie’s mother was equal to the task of staying away from such people. As such, both families wanted to stay on their own.
Jammie and Cass became good friends and their friendship grew stronger and stronger for each other. Cass and Jemmie’s friendship was only known to both of them and also to Jemmie’s grandmother Nana Grace. Nana Grace was the old lady who always want peace, and would do anything in other for there to be peace and for the two girls to have their friendship going.
Jemmie and Cass loved running so, they would have practice at the school field, and try to see who is the fastest on the track. They always encouraged each other and they both decided to join the school running team and called themselves, Chocolate Milk. Everywhere they went, they introduce themselves as Chocolate Milk because they were black and white.
One day, Jemmie and Cass entered in for the town’s fun fair running race, which they were hoping to win, to come up first position, but unfortunately for them, Jemmie fall, she was badly hurt and was unable to finish the race. Cass on the other hand, would have taken the position of winning but she just couldn’t finish the race without her best friend Jemmie, so Cass went back to help jemmie and they both walked to the finish line together. The crowd cheered them even though they came in last place. The press and newspapers found this gesture very interesting and puts them in the front page of the newspaper and when they were asked what their names were, they told them, Chocolate Milk.
Cass and Jemmie were not just winners at the race even though they came in last place; they were now on the front page of the town’s newspaper, this brought pride and joy to both families. At the end of it all, Casse’s father who would have nothing to do with the new neighbors went to their house for dinner because the girls persisted on keeping their friendship and since it was the two girls in the front newspaper, Cass. Bodin’s father had no other choice but to join in the dinner.
Crossing Jordan is a great, very easy to follow and an exciting book. After I picked the book up, it was hard to drop because I wanted to find out what happened next. This book shows that young people can sometimes be the object of making a change possible. Crossing Jordan has lots of lessons that young adult can learn from in spite of all obstacles, they still found a way of keeping their friendship.
I will teach this book over and over to my class if need be.
October 29, 2012
Crossing Jordan is the most tactful literature that I have ever come across that addresses the issue of racism. While the book is not pretty, polite, and will probably bring discomfort to some of your students, yet if students take hold to the content there could be some major break-through with your students. This story's setting is in a neighborhood that is slowly becoming integrated, and is causing a lot of strife among adults. Despite the fact that both the black and white adults are uncomfortable in their new living situation, their children become fast friends, but they are also secret friends. As soon as the parents find out their children have been spending time together while they are at work they become infuriated and ban them from seeing each other. The girls in the novel, who refer to themselves as "Chocolate Milk", tell a great story about friendship and true friends can make it through much adversity.
I would definitely use this book in my classroom, especially if I teach in the Atlanta area where racial issues tend to run high. It opens up an opportunity to have conversations about race, and other types of discrimination. I feel like the students will be convicted by this book and that they will be a lot more likely to relate to its content. I might even pair this book with a classic that discusses similar issues, like To Kill a Mockingbird. I feel like these two books would really complement each other, and address all of the issues on the discrimination spectrum.
Crossing Jordan does not only address heavy issues like racism, but one of the central themes in the book is friendship. I think it is essential for middle school students to be able to address light-hearted themes like this so they can have a break from all the difficult topics to discuss. I think sometimes the reason that middle school students and even younger students are not passionate about literature because they get depressed when reading it. This has something I have never thought about until it was briefly brought up in class one day. I really struggled to identify several YAL novels that I liked that did not have some sort of catastrophic tragedy in them. This is something I am going to have to continue working on before I enter the classroom, but luckily I have found Crossing Jordan, which I believe is the perfect balance between serious themes and also light-hearted relatable themes.
I would definitely use this book in my classroom, especially if I teach in the Atlanta area where racial issues tend to run high. It opens up an opportunity to have conversations about race, and other types of discrimination. I feel like the students will be convicted by this book and that they will be a lot more likely to relate to its content. I might even pair this book with a classic that discusses similar issues, like To Kill a Mockingbird. I feel like these two books would really complement each other, and address all of the issues on the discrimination spectrum.
Crossing Jordan does not only address heavy issues like racism, but one of the central themes in the book is friendship. I think it is essential for middle school students to be able to address light-hearted themes like this so they can have a break from all the difficult topics to discuss. I think sometimes the reason that middle school students and even younger students are not passionate about literature because they get depressed when reading it. This has something I have never thought about until it was briefly brought up in class one day. I really struggled to identify several YAL novels that I liked that did not have some sort of catastrophic tragedy in them. This is something I am going to have to continue working on before I enter the classroom, but luckily I have found Crossing Jordan, which I believe is the perfect balance between serious themes and also light-hearted relatable themes.
October 3, 2012
This is a book that is about two girls not understanding why they should not be friends. One girl is black and the other one is white. They are the same age and both enjoy running. They both think that they are the fastest runners in the neighborhood. Their parents have a problem with being prejudice against each other. They (the patents) do not think that the two races can be friends becuase of past issues.
This book brings to mind teaching that you can make your own choies in friends and be okay. In Middle School, especially, there is this thing called 'clicks' and they are hard to get into or out of. I think that with this book, you can teach that you can be friends with people that are different from you and still have something in common - you can be your own person and be okay with that. People will still like you.
Also, you can show that people have the ability to change their thinking if given enough reason and good intent. People have their own ideas, some people will not listen to other opinions, but there are some that will listen, you just have to say the right words. Knowing that you do not always have the right words, at the right time, is important also. Knowing when to fight for the right thing is also something that you could talk about with students.
You can also show that you should stand up for what you believe in. That is something that very few people learn and even less people do. Cass was not able to stand up to her father at first about her friendship with Jemmie, but with time and the right words, he was able to see that Jemmie and her family were not so different from them and he learned to give them a chance.
It also touchs on the topic of the all important girl/boy relastionship and the changes that they go through. This is something that we must all learn as all friendships change and evolve into other thngs as time goes by.
This book brings to mind teaching that you can make your own choies in friends and be okay. In Middle School, especially, there is this thing called 'clicks' and they are hard to get into or out of. I think that with this book, you can teach that you can be friends with people that are different from you and still have something in common - you can be your own person and be okay with that. People will still like you.
Also, you can show that people have the ability to change their thinking if given enough reason and good intent. People have their own ideas, some people will not listen to other opinions, but there are some that will listen, you just have to say the right words. Knowing that you do not always have the right words, at the right time, is important also. Knowing when to fight for the right thing is also something that you could talk about with students.
You can also show that you should stand up for what you believe in. That is something that very few people learn and even less people do. Cass was not able to stand up to her father at first about her friendship with Jemmie, but with time and the right words, he was able to see that Jemmie and her family were not so different from them and he learned to give them a chance.
It also touchs on the topic of the all important girl/boy relastionship and the changes that they go through. This is something that we must all learn as all friendships change and evolve into other thngs as time goes by.
December 8, 2012
This story is about a 12 years old girl named Cass. She has an older sister and younger sister. Her life is pretty dull and she does the same routine everyday, cook dinner and go run at the track at school. But one day, the house next door is sold to a black family. Cass’s dad didn’t like that so he built a fence. In the fence was a hole big enough for Cass to spy on the new family. One day she is caught snooping by the black family’s daughter Jemmie who is 12 also. Both girls love to run and challenge each other to a race at the track. Day after day they race each other and it always ends in a tie. Over time they form a secret friendship with each other that only Jemmie’s grandmother knows about, but she encourages their friendship. Because they loved to run, they both entered in the towns’ fun fair running race. They ended up being on the front page of the town newspaper, which brought pride and joy to both families. Cass’s father eventually decided to go over to Jemmie’s house for dinner because the girls were not going to give up on their friendship, so he had no choice but to join them for dinner.
I liked this story because it shows how just two people can make a big difference. It shows two strong young girls overcome racism, become friends and brought together not only their family, but the whole town.
This would be excellent material for the classroom. It will teach children about what it was like during the time after the civil war and how it was hard for blacks and whites to accept each other. They can be taught from a young age how to not see color, but to see people for who they are on the inside. It can also teach them that even though they are young, that they can make a difference.
I liked this story because it shows how just two people can make a big difference. It shows two strong young girls overcome racism, become friends and brought together not only their family, but the whole town.
This would be excellent material for the classroom. It will teach children about what it was like during the time after the civil war and how it was hard for blacks and whites to accept each other. They can be taught from a young age how to not see color, but to see people for who they are on the inside. It can also teach them that even though they are young, that they can make a difference.
July 16, 2013
Crossing Jordan by Adrian Fogelin has some very good characteristics. The friendship between the two middle-school girls evolves nicely, and the background figures of an male friend of Cassie's, the dead neighbor (who is a significant presence), and the Jemmie's grandmother, are nice touches. However, the book lacks a stronger focus, eluding the difficult situation of mutual familial prejudice it builds up. Running is used in the beginning to create the friendship, but it falls off as the focus of the girls' interest in favor of reading Jane Eyre. Summarizing and quoting from Jane Eyre fills the middle chapters of the book. While the book was a thread from the beginning, it overwhelms the book by the end, not to mention spoiling all the best parts for readers who were probably going to encounter it later in their education. That is no favor to either Jane Eyre or to the narrative Fogelin lets it usurp -- her own. The book reads a little too episodic, with many little bits that are not tightly bound with the rest of the book. Why the beehive hair style and consequent buzz cut for Cassie? It moves the plot and the characters nowhere. A running competition does close the book, which gives the two girls notoriety and brings the families together even more than the endangered heat-stroke baby sister. But in summary, the story seems to have too many balls in the air, from prejudice to civil rights history to Jane Eyre to sibling conflict. Tightening in would have served the novel better. The feeling is that with so much in the air, so much she wanted to discuss, she loses track of these points and lets some of the pretty, spinning balls fall to the ground. Not a bad book, but not as good as it ought to have been.
April 22, 2015
I loved this book. When I picked it up, I expected a boring book (I never look at the back...)
But trust me, it's amazing. I wish it were more popular, but this contemporary is underrated.
Everything about this book was FANTASTIC.
It speaks not only about racism, but also about the struggles of life in general too.
That's all for the non spoiler section.
But WARNING: For those people who only like contemporaries with romance, you won't find some here. ;)
But trust me, it's amazing. I wish it were more popular, but this contemporary is underrated.
Everything about this book was FANTASTIC.
It speaks not only about racism, but also about the struggles of life in general too.
That's all for the non spoiler section.
But WARNING: For those people who only like contemporaries with romance, you won't find some here. ;)
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Cana Rensberger for TeensReadToo.com
"Good fences make good neighbors." That's what Cass's dad said when he found out a black family was moving in next door. Cass even helped him build the fence. But as the new neighbors moved in, Cass couldn't help but be curious. Watching through a peephole in the fence, Cass's blue eye found a brown eye staring back at her.
Cass asked Jemmie, "Do you like to run?"
Jemmie responded, "Run? Girl, I don't run, I fly. Can't nobody beat me."
The race was on. They both sneaked out of their homes the next morning to find out who was fastest, and instead found "Chocolate Milk."
This is the story of their friendship. It's also a story of crossing boundaries, change, and eventual acceptance. Theirs is a natural friendship, a friendship that's tried by the bigotry of Cass's dad, and the stubbornness of Jemmie's mother. It takes the misfortunes of a tiny baby for the parents to begin tearing down their mental fences.
Adrian Fogelin does a beautiful job of portraying tenuous relationships that exist among people trying to understand cultures different from their own, The girls are sweet and fun; their dialogue is well-written, immersing the reader in the long, hot, dog days of summer in Tallahassee, Florida.
CROSSING JORDAN leaves the reader with hope for future generations, that they will be inspired to appreciate each other, just as Cass and Jemmie were inspired to call themselves Chocolate Milk. This is the first book of Adrian Fogelin's that I've read, and I'm sure I'll be looking for more of her titles.
"Good fences make good neighbors." That's what Cass's dad said when he found out a black family was moving in next door. Cass even helped him build the fence. But as the new neighbors moved in, Cass couldn't help but be curious. Watching through a peephole in the fence, Cass's blue eye found a brown eye staring back at her.
Cass asked Jemmie, "Do you like to run?"
Jemmie responded, "Run? Girl, I don't run, I fly. Can't nobody beat me."
The race was on. They both sneaked out of their homes the next morning to find out who was fastest, and instead found "Chocolate Milk."
This is the story of their friendship. It's also a story of crossing boundaries, change, and eventual acceptance. Theirs is a natural friendship, a friendship that's tried by the bigotry of Cass's dad, and the stubbornness of Jemmie's mother. It takes the misfortunes of a tiny baby for the parents to begin tearing down their mental fences.
Adrian Fogelin does a beautiful job of portraying tenuous relationships that exist among people trying to understand cultures different from their own, The girls are sweet and fun; their dialogue is well-written, immersing the reader in the long, hot, dog days of summer in Tallahassee, Florida.
CROSSING JORDAN leaves the reader with hope for future generations, that they will be inspired to appreciate each other, just as Cass and Jemmie were inspired to call themselves Chocolate Milk. This is the first book of Adrian Fogelin's that I've read, and I'm sure I'll be looking for more of her titles.
June 30, 2010
“Good fences make good neighbors.” That’s what Cass’s dad said when he found out a black family was moving in next door. Cass even helped him build the fence. But as the new neighbors moved in, Cass couldn’t help but be curious. Watching through a peephole in the fence, Cass’s blue eye found a brown eye staring back at her.
Cass asked Jemmie, “Do you like to run?”
Jemmie responded, “Run? Girl, I don’t run, I fly. Can’t nobody beat me.”
The race was on. They both snuck out of their homes the next morning to find out who was fastest, and instead found “Chocolate Milk”.
This is the story of their friendship. It’s also a story of crossing boundaries, change, and eventual acceptance. Theirs is a natural friendship, a friendship that’s tried by the bigotry of Cass’s dad, and the stubbornness of Jemmie’s mother. It takes the misfortunes of a tiny baby for the parents to begin tearing down their mental fences.
Adrian Fogelin does a beautiful job of portraying tenuous relationships that exist among people trying to understand cultures different from their own, The girls are sweet and fun; their dialogue is well-written, immersing the reader in the long, hot, dog days of summer in Tallahassee, Florida. CROSSING JORDAN leaves the reader with hope for future generations, that they will be inspired to appreciate each other, just as Cass and Jemmie were inspired to call themselves Chocolate Milk. This is the first book of Adrian Fogelin’s that I’ve read, and I’m sure I’ll be looking for more titles by her.
Cass asked Jemmie, “Do you like to run?”
Jemmie responded, “Run? Girl, I don’t run, I fly. Can’t nobody beat me.”
The race was on. They both snuck out of their homes the next morning to find out who was fastest, and instead found “Chocolate Milk”.
This is the story of their friendship. It’s also a story of crossing boundaries, change, and eventual acceptance. Theirs is a natural friendship, a friendship that’s tried by the bigotry of Cass’s dad, and the stubbornness of Jemmie’s mother. It takes the misfortunes of a tiny baby for the parents to begin tearing down their mental fences.
Adrian Fogelin does a beautiful job of portraying tenuous relationships that exist among people trying to understand cultures different from their own, The girls are sweet and fun; their dialogue is well-written, immersing the reader in the long, hot, dog days of summer in Tallahassee, Florida. CROSSING JORDAN leaves the reader with hope for future generations, that they will be inspired to appreciate each other, just as Cass and Jemmie were inspired to call themselves Chocolate Milk. This is the first book of Adrian Fogelin’s that I’ve read, and I’m sure I’ll be looking for more titles by her.
September 26, 2021
Le cioccolato al latte
May 30, 2013
This is the delightful story of two girls, Cass (white) and Jemmi (black), who are start out as neighbors not permitted to speak to one another, but become fast friends who are fast on their feet; through their love of running and Jane Eyre, they eventually bring their families together. After a tragic incident, the families begin to spend time together, and slowly they tear down walls that were built in their minds and hearts. I liked the author’s decision to show that there is good and bad in everyone, that it is better to be patient with those who are not like minded, and the great humor of the main character, Cass. Crossing Jordan would be an excellent book to offer sixth and seventh graders, as they would relate well to the ages of the main characters; the book also offers great discussion opportunities for racism and common ground.
May 25, 2010
Simple, well-written book told from the perspective of Cass who is about to enter 7th grade when a new family moved in next door. They're African Americans and Cass's daddy is racist! Cass is forbidden to talk to them but slowly makes friend with the girl next door who is the same age and loved to run, just like Cass. Jemmie and Cass are there for each others' good times and bad, they read books together, run together, and call themselves Chocolate Milk. They form a close bond, even though their parents are prejudice against the other family. Things happen beyond anyone's control though and the families must pull together or lose something near and dear to them all.
September 24, 2009
People should be judged based on their merits and not the color of their skin.
Cass is dreading a long. lonely summer until Jemmie and her family move in next door. The two girls hit it off right away, but there's just one problem, she was black and her father did not like "those people.
Jemmie's mother had her own dislike of "white people" as well making the relationship between the girls a hide & seek type relationship.
Cass is dreading a long. lonely summer until Jemmie and her family move in next door. The two girls hit it off right away, but there's just one problem, she was black and her father did not like "those people.
Jemmie's mother had her own dislike of "white people" as well making the relationship between the girls a hide & seek type relationship.
May 9, 2015
The book, Crossing Jordan, by Adrian Fogelin centers around a friendship between two young girls. Despite their families prejudices, the girls build an unbreakable bond through their mutual love of running. This book is appropriate for students in grades 5 and up. I also believe this book encourages conversation about race, gender, and so much more! It is a fantastic book with an incredible theme. I would recommend this book to all!
December 18, 2012
Another kids' book, about segregation, or rather about keeping separate. As soon as the main character's dad finds out their new neighbors are black, he puts up a fence & tells his kids to keep away from them. The younger daughter and the girl next door are both runners and they become fast (ha ha) friends. Good story.
August 12, 2013
As a former children's librarian I have a fondness for children's books. It's not an easy task to write about challenging and complex subjects, like racism, in a way that will grab a young reader's attention. This one is a page-turner. Little wonder this book won the ALA (YALSA) 2001 Best Books for Young Adults.
November 19, 2013
I really enjoy this multiple-award winning book about a friendship between a black and white girl who make a terrific running team known as "chocolate milkshake." This is the type of realistic fiction you want your children reading: wonderful messages, wonderfully realistic. Fogelin is all about the storytelling and that is what I like about her.
September 19, 2008
The author treats a very serious issue (racism) with such grace and realism that I would recommend this be added to school reading lists. The main characters (12-year-old girls) are role models for the adults around them and for every reader of this book.
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