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Title details for The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA by Brenda Woods - Available

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA

by Brenda Woods
John Kroft
Audiobook
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The Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author tells the moving story of the friendship between a young white boy and a Black WWII veteran who has recently returned to the unwelcoming Jim Crow South. On Gabriel's twelfth birthday, he gets a new bike—and is so excited that he accidentally rides it right into the path of a car. Fortunately, a Black man named Meriwether pushes him out of the way just in time, and fixes his damaged bike. As a thank you, Gabriel gets him a job at his dad's auto shop. Gabriel's dad hires him with some hesitation, however, anticipating trouble with the other mechanic, who makes no secret of his racist opinions. Gabriel and Meriwether become friends, and Gabriel learns that Meriwether drove a tank in the Army's all-Black 761st Tank Battalion in WWII. Meriwether is proud of his service, but has to keep it a secret because talking about it could be dangerous. Sadly, danger finds Meriwether, anyway, when his family receives a frightening threat. The South being the way it is, there's no guarantee that the police will help—and Gabriel doesn't know what will happen if Meriwether feels forced to take the law into his own hands.
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Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc. Edition: Unabridged

OverDrive Listen audiobook

  • ISBN: 9781980038207
  • File size: 112296 KB
  • Release date: April 23, 2019
  • Duration: 03:53:56

Formats

OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Juvenile Fiction Juvenile Literature Historical Fiction

Languages

English

Levels

Lexile® Measure:780
Text Difficulty:3-4

The Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author tells the moving story of the friendship between a young white boy and a Black WWII veteran who has recently returned to the unwelcoming Jim Crow South. On Gabriel's twelfth birthday, he gets a new bike—and is so excited that he accidentally rides it right into the path of a car. Fortunately, a Black man named Meriwether pushes him out of the way just in time, and fixes his damaged bike. As a thank you, Gabriel gets him a job at his dad's auto shop. Gabriel's dad hires him with some hesitation, however, anticipating trouble with the other mechanic, who makes no secret of his racist opinions. Gabriel and Meriwether become friends, and Gabriel learns that Meriwether drove a tank in the Army's all-Black 761st Tank Battalion in WWII. Meriwether is proud of his service, but has to keep it a secret because talking about it could be dangerous. Sadly, danger finds Meriwether, anyway, when his family receives a frightening threat. The South being the way it is, there's no guarantee that the police will help—and Gabriel doesn't know what will happen if Meriwether feels forced to take the law into his own hands.
Expand title description text
Juvenile Fiction Juvenile Literature Historical Fiction