Revolution

Bibliography
Wiles, Deborah. Revolution: The Sixties Trilogy Book Two. Scholastic, 2014.
image from: (http://deborahwiles.com/site/books-2/revolution-coming-may-2014/)

Summary:(from http://deborahwiles.com/site/books-2/revolution-coming-may-2014)

It’s 1964, and Sunny’s town is being invaded. Or at least that’s what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They’re calling it Freedom Summer.

Meanwhile, Sunny can’t help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool — where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

As she did in her groundbreaking documentary novel COUNTDOWN award-winning author Deborah Wiles uses stories and images to tell the riveting story of a certain time and place — and of kids who, in a world where everyone is choosing sides, must figure out how to stand up for themselves and fight for what’s right.

My Thoughts
I was afraid of reading this book without having read Book One, but it wasn't a problem. This is mostly 12 year old Sunny's story of growing up in Greenwood, Mississippi during the 1960s.  "I was there" (Wiles 420). The book itself is over 500 pages in length, divided into three parts. The first 40 pages were pictures, headlines and song lyrics to set up the story. This kind of primary source connection is sprinkled throughout the book.

There are several characters, but it isn't hard to keep up with them. I recognized Meemaw, even though my own grandmothers were not like her. I enjoyed having "Sunday lunch" at her house. She is described as a school teacher for 42 years and a "stickler for correct reporting and good punctuation" (Wiles 212). Maybe I see a little of myself in her character, especially when it's mentioned she watched Guiding Light (my all time FAVORITE soap opera!). I also like Daddy. He was a prominent business owner in the town where everyone knows everyone else. He is kind and tries to do the "right" thing, even when it isn't the popular thing.

There are actually many narrators in this story. While we see Sunny's white side of events, we also get a glimpse into Ray's black side. We see what's happening from Gillette's point of view. We get a historical perspective from the headlines, pamphlets and sermons. It is a tumultuous read (mirroring the time period the story is set). Slowly a revolution is boiling--We see the juxtaposition of Christian attitudes versus actions. There are Bible versus and Sunday School songs used throughout the book. There is a tense tone in the narrative. We see that the women are making things change (pages 353-361).

This is how it works. Everything is connected. Every choice matters. Every person is vital, and valuable, and worthy of respect. (Wiles 361)

As I read, I had questions about things. What exactly was an "associate"? Was this the Klan? Did Sunny's mom die or not? How much of this story is revisionist history or manipulative narrative? Why did Ray have to get shot?

Wiles gives us a six page summation of Freedom Summer.  Her acknowledgements also thank the many people and places she used for research.