Crossing Jordan

by Adrian Fogelin

Book Overview

Twelve-year-old Cassie's life is changed when Jemmie, a Black girl, and her family move in next door. Can she and Jemmie overcome family prejudice and cultural differences in a small, working-class town?

Cass is dreading a long, lonely summer until Jemmie and her family move in next door. The only problem: their families don't want them socializing with each other and they have deeply help prejudices, exemplified by the fence Cassie's...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561452815
• ISBN13: 9781561452811
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Great book!

I read this book, I loved it. My great aunt wrote it, so we have all her other books. I think this is great for people who want a good book to settle into. It is very bittersweet, and the characters are loveable and funny. This book is great!

WOW!!!

This is one of the best books I have ever read!! It is about a girl named Cass living in Tallahase, Florida. When a African American family moves in next door, Cass' father builds a fence to separate the families since his family is white. Cass becomes friends with Jemmie, the new girl. This is a story about how Cass and her new friend Jemmie become friends, run races and ultimately make their families see that the color of their skin shouldn't affect their relationship's.

My Third Favorite Book in the Entire Solar System

I am 7 now, but when I read this book I was only 6. Crossing Jordan is a very serious and sad book. Whenever I think of the book I always smile. It made me want to read Jane Eyre because the characters in the book were reading that and really liked it. This book is about two girls who are very fast runners. One is white and one is black. Their parents don't want them to be together, but they disobey them. This book was so exciting, that I could hardly sit still when I read it. I think you will love this book too.

Black and White, Together

In many ways Crossing Jordan is one of the best books I have ever read. The plot was great, it really shows how hard it used to be for black Americans. At first the white girl, Cass doesn't know how to act when a black family moves in next door. She doesn't like them at first, since her dad doesn't. After awhile the black girl, Jemmie and Cass became friends and struggle to keep their friedship even though their parents don't like each other. This book is a lot like Burning Up. Both books are about the seperation between blacks and whites, and the struggle the blacks had. I recommened this book for everyone to read.

Praise for a first ya novel!

What a fine book Fogelin has written! The author's sensitive protrayal of two friends, one white, one African American, and the barriers they break though, despite what the adults in their lives want them to accept, is inspiring. Fogelin doesn't paint either main character---or her family---as completely without fault in this story about the impact that a tradition of racist attitudes has on two young adolescents. Both families carry hurtful attitudes, but the girls transcend those limiting attitudes. Another positive feature that is almost unique to this short novel is Fogelin presents the female protagonists as competitive athletes who love to run; portrayals of female athletes as leading characters are rare in books for young people.