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Title details for The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods - Wait list

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA

by Brenda Woods
ebook
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The Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author tells the moving story of the friendship between a young white boy and a Black WWII veteran who has recently returned to the unwelcoming Jim Crow South.
On Gabriel's twelfth birthday, he gets a new bike—and is so excited that he accidentally rides it right into the path of a car. Fortunately, a Black man named Meriwether pushes him out of the way just in time, and fixes his damaged bike. As a thank you, Gabriel gets him a job at his dad's auto shop. Gabriel's dad hires him with some hesitation, however, anticipating trouble with the other mechanic, who makes no secret of his racist opinions.  
Gabriel and Meriwether become friends, and Gabriel learns that Meriwether drove a tank in the Army's all-Black 761st Tank Battalion in WWII. Meriwether is proud of his service, but has to keep it a secret because talking about it could be dangerous. Sadly, danger finds Meriwether, anyway, when his family receives a frightening threat. The South being the way it is, there's no guarantee that the police will help—and Gabriel doesn't know what will happen if Meriwether feels forced to take the law into his own hands.
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Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Kindle Book

  • ISBN: 9781524737108
  • Release date: January 8, 2019

OverDrive Read

  • ISBN: 9781524737108
  • Release date: January 8, 2019

EPUB ebook

  • ISBN: 9781524737108
  • File size: 1451 KB
  • Release date: January 8, 2019
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Formats

Kindle Book
OverDrive Read
EPUB ebook

subjects

Juvenile Fiction Juvenile Literature Historical Fiction

Languages

English

Levels

ATOS Level:4.9
Lexile® Measure:780
Interest Level:4-8(MG)
Text Difficulty:3-4

The Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author tells the moving story of the friendship between a young white boy and a Black WWII veteran who has recently returned to the unwelcoming Jim Crow South.
On Gabriel's twelfth birthday, he gets a new bike—and is so excited that he accidentally rides it right into the path of a car. Fortunately, a Black man named Meriwether pushes him out of the way just in time, and fixes his damaged bike. As a thank you, Gabriel gets him a job at his dad's auto shop. Gabriel's dad hires him with some hesitation, however, anticipating trouble with the other mechanic, who makes no secret of his racist opinions.  
Gabriel and Meriwether become friends, and Gabriel learns that Meriwether drove a tank in the Army's all-Black 761st Tank Battalion in WWII. Meriwether is proud of his service, but has to keep it a secret because talking about it could be dangerous. Sadly, danger finds Meriwether, anyway, when his family receives a frightening threat. The South being the way it is, there's no guarantee that the police will help—and Gabriel doesn't know what will happen if Meriwether feels forced to take the law into his own hands.
Expand title description text
Juvenile Fiction Juvenile Literature Historical Fiction
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