Gail R. (abigailsdaughter) reviewed Circle of Fire (American Girl History Mysteries, Bk 14) on + 201 more book reviews
Based on a historical incident in 1958, the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. Mendy, a school-aged African-American girl, and her white friend Jeffrey, discover that the Ku Klux Klan plans to destroy the Highlander Folk School, one of the few integrated institutions in the South, and assassinate Eleanor Roosevelt when she speaks there. Although their parents warn them to stay out of it, they manage to foil the plot. An afterword, with photographs, describes the historical situation and the founding of the Highlander Folk School. This story is probably unique in children's fiction, but the writing is rather pedestrian.
Jessica R. (helmetgirl) reviewed Circle of Fire (American Girl History Mysteries, Bk 14) on + 65 more book reviews
This is a good story, however when I read this I was much younger and it frightened me really bad. The pet rabbit gets slaughtered and I had a pet rabbit that I was extremely found of. I was oblivious to the fact that the KKK was targeting her because she was black..When I was told by my Mom what the story was really about the message became clear, I was shocked that grown men would kill a girls pet bunny rabbit because she was black. This book became even more upsetting to me then, but I think it is a part of history that I needed to know.
