The Return of Gabriel

by John Armistead

Book Overview

In the summer of 1964, freedom workers come to a small Mississippi town to register blacks to vote. The quiet pace of the summer changes dramatically for Cooper and his friends Jubal, who is black, and Squirrel, who is Jewish. The only white member of Oak Grove Baptist Church, Cooper must decide how to react when his father makes him attend Ku Klux Klan meetings. His uncle Chicago helps guide him through the turbulent times. As the summer progresses,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1571316388
• ISBN13: 9781571316387
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

A fairly good book

This book is about a 13 year-old white kid named Cooper and his African-American friend and neighbor Jubal. The book is set in a southern town in 1964. It's a dramatic story that displays racism in the south, specificly the Klu Klux Klan. Cooper and Jubal have a club they call the scorpions that they use to stick together and fight bullies. It has 3 members: Cooper, Jubal, and this Jewish kid name d squrriel. When squirel's house has a croos burned in front of it he moves to memphis and cooper's dad starts bringing hom to KKK meetings. He then has to choose between risking his life and loyalty to his father, and his loylty to his church and friends. This is not the best book, but it is a relatively good book. I would probobly reccomend it to someone, espicially a middle-school age person onterested in racism in the south during the 50s and 60s.

The Return of Gabriel

In an effort to take a look at the civil rights efforts in Mississsippi in the mid-1960s, THE RETURN OF GABRIEL tells its story through the eyes of an eighth-grade white boy named Cooper. At times, the book often wears its morality lesson on its sleeve, but does so in such a sincere manner that its hard not to appreciate the story and theme given the intended audience -- the young adult. A relatively quick read, THE RETURN OF GABRIEL has one huge strength and that is the variety of characters it brings to the page. Although few make any significant change in their attitude or thoughts by the novel's end, that is true to life. Cooper and his black friend Jubal's relationship goes through its growing pains as their individual perspectives on the civil rights fight are clearly influenced by different factors. As a YA novel that is purposely trying to make a point, this book succeeds admirably, though it does leave a number of questions (that teenagers will have about the story and its characters) unanswered. Adults will find it a bit too simplistic in its storytelling, but appreciate its intention to inform as historical fiction. I intend on using this book in my class to help flesh out the subject of Hate for a unit I am teaching. I know there are surely better books on the subject of America's civil rights movement, but this book fits in well as a selection of the Sunshine State Recommended Reading List for 2006-2007 for grades 6 through 8.

Remembering the 60's in MS

This book was chosen by Starkville Reads, a one book, one city program in Starkville ,MS. We found it to be excellent for the program in that it generated a lot of interest in the community and provided a focus for some enjoyable and informative discussions. The book is about the experiences of a couple of teenagers in MS in the 60's. One of the teens is black, the other white. In addition to sharing a lot of experiences common to teens every where, the two friends get swept up in the civil rights problems of Mississippi in the 60's. There are many good guys and bad guys, the latter in the form of the Klan. People get threatened and hassled, and buildings burned. There is some mysterious ancestry, and a few natural and not so natural deaths. It is all pretty exciting in addition to being informative. Readers participating in discussions of the book, most of whom were in MS when it all happenned, generally agreed that the author had depicted life in MS pretty well. The book is really primarily for young adult readers which isn't all bad, ie it moves fast and has short chapters. If you are looking for a short, very well written book that depicts life in rural areas of MS in the 60's through the eyes of teenagers, then this is an excellent choice.

conscientious lessons of life to learn

I cannot wait for my children to read Dr. John's newest book. In a time when we desperately need to be coming together as a nation, this book hits on the emotional level that children can understand how we as a society need to accept each other. Children will identify with the familial ties that bind us as well as the friendship ties that help build our character in times of trouble. I hope my children see the bigger issues in this story and appreciate the real history that unfolds. I love the way Dr. John has ordinary children doing extraordinary feats. His children, his characters remind me of the humble men in the Bible that God used. Ironic...I don't think so. The weaving of morality,spirituality, and frail humanity make these the kind of stories you want your children to aspire and be inspired by. You get a package deal with Dr. John: moral responsibility, spiritual gauges, and a fascinating history lesson. Great Work!!!