A powerful story about racial tensions
It’s the middle of the Great Depression, but James William still enjoys his life in rural Mississippi. But his happiness starts to unravel when he discovers the fire that burned down the local preacher’s house wasn’t an accident, but a hate crime. When his friend LeRoy tells him about the Klan and their hanging tree, James William has a hard time grasping this harsh reality, until an unexpected encounter brings the issue close to home.
A thought-provoking story of one boy’s loss of naiveté, Mississippi Morning will challenge young readers to question their own assumptions and confront personal decisions.
| Author | Ruth Vander Zee |
| Illustrator | Floyd Cooper |
| Date | 2004 |
| Publisher | Eerdmans Books for Young Readers |