The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, Brenda Woods
The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, Brenda Woods
List: $10.99 | Sale: $7.70
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The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA

Author: Brenda Woods

Narrator: John Kroft

Unabridged: 3 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 03/29/2019


Synopsis

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.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Skip on February 17, 2019

A very good middle school read about life in the Jim Crow South, following WWII. A young white boy growing up in a progressive, educated home (with parents educated at Oberlin College) turns 12, and is almost killed riding his new bicycle, but is saved by the quick action of a black handyman named M......more

Goodreads review by Kate on June 05, 2020

I love it when I stumble across a book that opens my eyes to another piece of history, another part of the world, another person’s experience. Especially if it’s middle-grade fiction because somehow those are always more poignant while they are gentle. I didn’t know much about the Black Panthers, and......more

Goodreads review by Darla on January 04, 2019

The cover is priceless and speaks beautifully of the story within. An unemployed WW II vet risks his own life to save a twelve-year-old boy from getting hit by a car. In the voice of this young man we view the town of Birdsong, South Carolina circa 1946. We learn the harsh realities of the Jim Crow......more

Goodreads review by Alex on February 18, 2019

It's the summer of 1946 and in Birdsong, South Carolina, Gabriel Haberlin has just tuned 12 and received a brand new Schwinn Autocycle Deluxe for his birthday. Excited to test it out and show his friend Patrick, Gabe sets off not paying too much attention to a stoplight ahead of him that has just tu......more

Goodreads review by Tory on October 02, 2018

This had the potential to be great, but the best language in the book was found in the first two pages, and it went downhill from there. Very simplistic writing with characters who over-explained everything in cheesy overly-Southern dialogue. "You can't just make your characters say how they feel! T......more