Crossing Jordan
Grade 5–8—In Adrian Fogelin's contemporary novel (Peachtree, 2000), set in Tallahassee, Florida, 12-year-old Cass Bodine's racist father erects a fence between his house and the house of their new next door neighbors, who are black. "If they stay out of our business and we stay out of theirs, we'll get along fine," he informs his daughter. Despite the racial prejudice on both sides of the fence, Cass and Jemmie, the girl next door, become best friends through a mutual love of running and the trials and tribulations of readingJane Eyre. When the parents discover the girls' secretive relationship, they forbid them to see each other. But events continue to evolve, and the hearts of both families are tested. The rationale behind bigotry is well fleshed out and delicately examined, but sometimes feels a little over done. Nevertheless, the characters are believable and the story line is sensitive and honest. Fogelin's narration reflects her intricate knowledge of the characters, and she brings the emotional depth of each scene to life. Southern life resonates as the author expertly defines each character's unique traits and dialect. An engrossing, evenhanded look at prejudice and interracial friendship.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FLCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.