The Friendship (Logan Household Saga, 5)

As with all her books, this story is from …
As with all her books, this story is from the actual life of the author’s ancestor. It’s very revealing of the way her people had to live in the South in the early part of the 20th century. After slavery, but during Jim Crow days.

Although this book was more for children versus the first book “The Land” was it was still almost just as good. And although she
This was book #5.5 (book 7) of the Logan series written by Ms Taylor. Although this book was more for children versus the first book “The Land” was it was still almost just as good. And although she didn’t write in the beginning of this one this is what she wrote in the first pages of “The Land” and it applies to this book as well… “…Although there are those who wish to ban my books because I have used language that is painful, I have chosen to use the language that was spoken during the period, for I refuse to whitewash history. The language was painful and life was painful for many Africian Americans, including my family.” So if your teenage child is reading this it may allow you to open up discussion to things (s)he may never have had to encounter in our society today (as far as the language). But she writes true to her words, if she had changed the language then the book wouldn’t have been as Historically OR family accurate to be as good as it was!This is such a wonderful true story. Ms Taylor takes the stories she has grown up listening to from her grandparents and uncles-aunts and takes the story of her great grandpa AND her great grandma and combine them for this story! Knowing that made it even more wonderful. This is book 5.5 (or book 7) of this series of books. There are 8 books in this ‘Logan’ series which many people don’t realize since book #4 apparently was Ms Taylor’s first book she wrote for this series. Since it won awards and she had so much more history to write she took off with it and make it into a series. Some of the books are ‘novels’ and others (like this one) are smaller 90 page ‘children’s’ books (looks like labeled for ages 7-11 according to Amazon) but as an adult I loved this book and am looking forward to continuing reading this series.Now with that being said… I am white and I nor any of my family have ever had to deal with what ‘freed’ slaves or a child from a mixed family has had to deal with. In reading this within the first few chapters my heart went out because the same emotions that was written within this book during segregation-depression era is the same emotions that some people have to endure even today, (although not as ‘gruff’)In this book the Logan children go to the local store that their parents have warned them NOT TO GO TO! But one of the elders of the community needed some medication and has asked the kids to go get it for her. So out of respect for her they go. While there they have to wait, and wait due to their skin color being black and the owners of the store being white; to be waited on. After they are done an elderly colored gentleman comes in and the store owners son call him names and really start up something with him. Especially since he called their Dad by his first name! Something that colored people NEVER did. The history the store owner and the black gentleman has is one of heart wrenching love but with time and society that friendship breaks… GREAT book to introduce your older child to segregation and civil rights. But be prepared for questions as they may have many.

All preteens should read Mildred D Taylor books.
My grandson is Native American, African American and mixed European. He is getting a real sense of how life was for people in the past and how it is in some places for some folks still.

Great Book
This story has a remarkable back story that calls into question the morals of friendship. Jonn Bee a black man saved the life of John Wallace who is black who gave John permission to call him by his first name. When he enters into the store and calls out John by his first name, he has a dilemma on his hand because other white men were in the store. This powerful story had me all caught up in it and drawn to the characters. It is well written along with inspiring characters that had me thinking about this story long after I read it.