Book Review: Fire in the Streets
Written by Kekla Magoon
Reviewed by Aubrianna Willard-Lee age, 14
The book
Fire in the Streets
is a work of historical fiction that explores the
Black Panthers movement. The Black Panthers Party was a political organization
that stood against structured racism in America during the sixties.
In
the book
Fire in the Streets
, Maxie
wants to prove to the Black Panthers that she isn’t too young to stand up for
her beliefs. When she finds out that there might be an infiltrator among the
Panthers she decides to find out who it is.
Life
is hard for 14-year-old Maxie. She lives at home with her mom and older brother
Raheem. Her mom is an unemployed alcoholic, who brings different men home at
night. Her older brother Raheem, who is deeply connected with the Panthers
himself, tries his best to support his little sister. But often he fails.
As
Maxie moves through her struggles, she inches closer to finding the traitor.
When she discovers who it is, the information changes her life forever. The
reader travels through these captivating events with Maxie.
Fire
in the Streets
was a gripping read and I
liked that there are true events throughout the story. In a way, Maxie reminds
me of myself, struggling to find my way through the craziness of my life. I
would recommend this book for middle schoolers and up because there are some
ideas in the book that younger kids might not fully understand.
Now
that you’ve gotten a glimpse into Maxie’s world, read the book for yourself and
see how the events play out.
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