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The Rock and the River #2
Fire in the Streets
What means more, shared values or shared blood? Maxie’s choice changes everything in this acclaimed companion to The Rock and the River.
Bad things happen in the heat, they say.
Maxie knows all about how fire can erupt at a moment’s notice, especially now, in the sweltering Chicago summer of 1968. She is a Black Panther—or at least she wants to be one. Maxie believes in the movement. She wants to belong. She wants to join the struggle. But everyone keeps telling her she’s too young. At fourteen, she’s allowed to help out in the office, but she certainly can’t help patrol the streets.
Then Maxie realizes that there is a traitor in their midst, and if she can figure out who it is, it may be her ticket to becoming a real Panther. But when she learns the truth, the knowledge threatens to destroy her world. Maxie must decide: Is becoming a Panther worth paying the ultimate price?
Bad things happen in the heat, they say.
Maxie knows all about how fire can erupt at a moment’s notice, especially now, in the sweltering Chicago summer of 1968. She is a Black Panther—or at least she wants to be one. Maxie believes in the movement. She wants to belong. She wants to join the struggle. But everyone keeps telling her she’s too young. At fourteen, she’s allowed to help out in the office, but she certainly can’t help patrol the streets.
Then Maxie realizes that there is a traitor in their midst, and if she can figure out who it is, it may be her ticket to becoming a real Panther. But when she learns the truth, the knowledge threatens to destroy her world. Maxie must decide: Is becoming a Panther worth paying the ultimate price?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2012
16 people are currently reading
789 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 7, 2012
Loved this book. The author tackles a topic that is hugely underrepresented, especially in children's literature. It is a story of family, loyalty, poverty, race, and difficult decisions, to which any American reader can relate.
July 4, 2012
If you liked The Rock and the River, you will LOVE this book!
February 3, 2013
While I was pleased to find out what happened to some of the characters from the author's early book, The Rock and the River, I didn't find this one quite as riveting as that one. I don't know if it was the book's pacing--there was quite a lot of walking around Chicago and wondering what to do--or the character development--often, I didn't know very much about several of the characters, and only hints of their motivation or backgrounds were provided. Maxie's desperate desire to be a part of the Black Panters is clear, but her particular determination to be part of their policing force isn't as clear as I needed it to be. While the budding romance between Maxie and Sam in the first book was sweet, their relationship here seemed all mixed up, and it was hard to tell where it was going, or if it even was going. However, the author does a marvelous job of depicting the mingled helplessness/hopelessness of Maxie's mother who often chooses to drink or bring home different men even as her financial situation becomes increasingly precarious. While I can understand why Raheem might become so desperate for cash that he would betray the Panthers, his actions seemed completely out of character for him. The same goes for Maxie. Didn't she think about what would happen to her brother and to the family if she spoke out? Once again, this title adds to readers' understanding of the positive aspect of the Black Panthers, something rarely described, particularly in books for middle graders and teens. Still, try as I might, there were aspects of the book that didn't work for me, including the language. Maybe I'm wrong, but I did grow up during the 1960s, and "Oh, snap!" is not a phrase that was uttered during that time period. Although I'll look forward to more about these characters and those volatile times of change, a few authorial missteps ruined my enjoyment of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2020
I've been enthralled by the history of the Black Panther Party since childhood for a number of reasons, ranging from familial history to their unwavering commitment to upholding and defending the Black community. Although a number of memoirs (some I've read, others I've yet to) by former Party members exist, I'd yet to come across a YA novel that took on the topic/era from an adolescent (let alone young female) perspective. This and my previous reading experience with Light It Up are what drew me to Magoon's Fire In the Streets.
**Any textual references made unfortunately will not include page numbers, since I read the novel in digital format.
The novel is an earlier work of Magoon's and it unfortunately shows: rarely does it showcase the type of powerhouse prose I was often met with in Light It Up. The novel's abbreviated chapters (some no more than 4 pages) often described run-of-the-mill situations and encounters that seemed superfluous, presenting inconsequential information to the overall trajectory of the story. Many of the relayed events (or lack thereof) could have easily been stated in just a few lines and then incorporated to create more substantial, (and thus fewer) chapters. For this reason the text too often felt choppy, and didn't allow for me to feel truly immersed in the goings-on. I will say, though, that although frustrating, the brevity of the chapters made the text easier to get through in digital format (though this silver lining very well may have been nonexistent had I been reading a physical copy).
Narrative-wise, I valued how Panther tenets and historical events were woven into the text and presented through Maxie's voice. However, her one-track mind as far as joining the Party and her seeming lack of street smarts and understanding of the world around her felt off, considering her age and the fact that she's a city girl that has seen and experienced hardship and loss. This characteristic oftentimes made her seem much younger than she was. Her relationship with her brother Raheem also at times felt wooden and not as seamless or close as purported. Similarly, her friendships felt flimsy and sorely one-dimensional in stark contrast with how they're described - another instance of too much telling and not actually showing. The text's denouement felt particularly abrupt and incongruous following the climax, so that there was barely time to absorb the events as a reader or even through the character of Maxie herself.
Sadly, Fire In the Streets largely fell short. Although I did not read The Rock and the River first, I don't think that influenced my enjoyment of this book one way or the other. If anything, doing so might have made me like Fire In the Streets even less than I did, given how glowingly other readers speak of it. I find myself torn because while I appreciate the novel's presentation of subject matter rarely explored and uplifted (positive attributes of the Panthers in contrast to the overwhelmingly negative rhetoric promoted and upheld within American history and society; the voice and perspective of a young Black female in relation to that theme), the narrative itself was just lacking. Nonetheless in reverence of that alone, if I could I would lean towards giving Fire In the Streets 2.5 stars instead of just 2.
Noteworthy passages:
"A white president is a white president and none of them would really look out for black folk after the voting is done." (Ch.4)
"It gets to be too much sometimes, hoping after things that keep getting snatched away. I don’t know if the war is ever going to end, the one that’s far away or the one that’s here and up close." (Ch.4)
"...regular school seems doubly boring. I’m not loving how I have to fill my head with this white man’s history. Now I know the truth. Makes it hard not to shout out in class, hard to keep my fist out of the sky, with them talking about how Christopher Columbus “discovered” America and how all the blacks were written into the laws as two-thirds of a person. Well, they’ve stuck to that story but good." (Ch.21)
"... she says learning the wrong makes you know right better when you see it." (Ch.21)
**Any textual references made unfortunately will not include page numbers, since I read the novel in digital format.
The novel is an earlier work of Magoon's and it unfortunately shows: rarely does it showcase the type of powerhouse prose I was often met with in Light It Up. The novel's abbreviated chapters (some no more than 4 pages) often described run-of-the-mill situations and encounters that seemed superfluous, presenting inconsequential information to the overall trajectory of the story. Many of the relayed events (or lack thereof) could have easily been stated in just a few lines and then incorporated to create more substantial, (and thus fewer) chapters. For this reason the text too often felt choppy, and didn't allow for me to feel truly immersed in the goings-on. I will say, though, that although frustrating, the brevity of the chapters made the text easier to get through in digital format (though this silver lining very well may have been nonexistent had I been reading a physical copy).
Narrative-wise, I valued how Panther tenets and historical events were woven into the text and presented through Maxie's voice. However, her one-track mind as far as joining the Party and her seeming lack of street smarts and understanding of the world around her felt off, considering her age and the fact that she's a city girl that has seen and experienced hardship and loss. This characteristic oftentimes made her seem much younger than she was. Her relationship with her brother Raheem also at times felt wooden and not as seamless or close as purported. Similarly, her friendships felt flimsy and sorely one-dimensional in stark contrast with how they're described - another instance of too much telling and not actually showing. The text's denouement felt particularly abrupt and incongruous following the climax, so that there was barely time to absorb the events as a reader or even through the character of Maxie herself.
Sadly, Fire In the Streets largely fell short. Although I did not read The Rock and the River first, I don't think that influenced my enjoyment of this book one way or the other. If anything, doing so might have made me like Fire In the Streets even less than I did, given how glowingly other readers speak of it. I find myself torn because while I appreciate the novel's presentation of subject matter rarely explored and uplifted (positive attributes of the Panthers in contrast to the overwhelmingly negative rhetoric promoted and upheld within American history and society; the voice and perspective of a young Black female in relation to that theme), the narrative itself was just lacking. Nonetheless in reverence of that alone, if I could I would lean towards giving Fire In the Streets 2.5 stars instead of just 2.
Noteworthy passages:
"A white president is a white president and none of them would really look out for black folk after the voting is done." (Ch.4)
"It gets to be too much sometimes, hoping after things that keep getting snatched away. I don’t know if the war is ever going to end, the one that’s far away or the one that’s here and up close." (Ch.4)
"...regular school seems doubly boring. I’m not loving how I have to fill my head with this white man’s history. Now I know the truth. Makes it hard not to shout out in class, hard to keep my fist out of the sky, with them talking about how Christopher Columbus “discovered” America and how all the blacks were written into the laws as two-thirds of a person. Well, they’ve stuck to that story but good." (Ch.21)
"... she says learning the wrong makes you know right better when you see it." (Ch.21)
February 27, 2017
This book is so beautifully written. I fell into Maxie's shoes and shared her emotions. Kekla Magoon puts you smack in the middle of the life of a determined teenager who's dream is to become a Chicago Black Panther. I couldn't put it down, and even though I have finished it, I am still consumed.
March 26, 2013
Fire In The Streets is the sequel to the outstanding The Rock and The River, but it is a very different kind of story. While The Rock and The River focused mostly on the relationship between brothers Sam and Steve, Fire In The Streets takes the reader into the heart of the Chicago Black Panther campaign during the summer of 1968. The fear and frustration of growing up in inner city Chicago is bearing down on young teen, Maxie. After participating in the Black Pather summer programs for kids, Maxie desperately wants to join the party. She is inspired by the determination and revolutionary spirit of the Black Panthers. Maxie is tired of feeling powerless and useless. Working at the Black Panther offices not only gives her purpose, but a place to escape the poverty and insecurity at home. But working in the office is not enough. Maxie wants to be trained as a Panther soldier, so she can patrol the streets, document police brutality, and protect victims. Kekla Magoon's historical events are so detailed and gripping, the reader is completely caught up in the passion and violence of the Democratic National Convention riots, police harrassment, and anti-VietNam War fervor. Kekla Magoon also shows the Black Panthers historically accurately including the many social service and education programs they set up in the poorest neighborhoods, the Panther Ten-Point Platform, rules for the use of guns, and legal advice for people arrested without cause. Fire In The Streets is an excellent historical fiction about a time that is often ignored in YA literature.
February 2, 2016
Probably 3 1/2 stars...I kept wanting it to be more like X: The Novel.
Can't wait to meet her at the Colorado Teen Literature Conference on April 2!
Can't wait to meet her at the Colorado Teen Literature Conference on April 2!
May 19, 2017
Once again Kekla Magoon has written an important novel about the Black Panther movement. I loved the realness of the main character, Maxie. She's 14 and passionate for change. She lives with her loving older brother who cares for the whole family, and her mom, who loses a lot of jobs, drinks too much and brings a series of men into their home. Maxie, who has a very hard time reading, spends most of her time at the Black Panther office. She is dedicated to the BP movement and wants to be more involved with policing and protecting, but gets frustrated when others look at her as a child. She is trying to make sense of her world and, when they realize there is a mole in the organization, she's willing to risk it all to get at the truth. This was a very powerful book. I've always thought of the Panthers as a radical, violent underground group. This book paints a different picture. I learned that the Panthers provide breakfast and daycamp for the poor neighborhood kids. They also established free clinics and provided free medical care. They also had a strict code of ethics and behavior and tried to avoid violence, wanting fair policing and just treatment for all people and trained their volunteers very thoroughly. A lot of parallels can be drawn to our current society! I would have enjoyed a political timeline of the Black Panthers to learn still more about the group.
October 29, 2019
Fire in the Streets follows the events in Kekla Magoon's novel The Rock and the River. If you have not read the first book, I highly recommend you do that first to get a better understanding of the characters and their motivations. With that being said, Fire in the Streets changes perspectives from Sam Childs to Maxie Brown (Sam's love interest in Rock). Maxie is a 14-year-old African American girl who lives in the ghettos of Chicago in 1968. She is highly interested in the Black Panthers and is constantly trying to join their ranks, even though they say she is too young. Maxie and Sam's relationship is soured by the events in the Rock and the River, and her friends have to constantly remind her why she needs to let him go. This book is written for 9 to 14-year-olds, but I believe that the upper end of that range can better grasp the themes of the book. Fire in the Streets can be used as a supplemental text when teaching about the Civil Rights Era in U.S. History.
July 2, 2020
I really enjoyed learning about the philosophy and works of the Black Panthers through this book. As a white person who went to school in the '80s, I only learned that "MLK = nonviolent = good; Malcolm X/Black Panthers = violent = bad," a simplistic - and wrong - view that unfortunately I didn't think to question until recently.
The only thing that makes me hesitant to bring this book to my Quaker classroom is the importance of firearms in the book as a symbol of power and maturity. I understand and appreciate the importance of the Panthers exercising their Constitutional right to bear arms, but I don't love the message about guns it may send to kids today.
The only thing that makes me hesitant to bring this book to my Quaker classroom is the importance of firearms in the book as a symbol of power and maturity. I understand and appreciate the importance of the Panthers exercising their Constitutional right to bear arms, but I don't love the message about guns it may send to kids today.
December 14, 2017
KEKLA MAGOON
This book is the sequel to The Rock and the River, and they both deal with black teenagers in the 60's involved in the Black Panther organization. This book was powerful in the sense that it gave a glimpse into a controversial group and helped readers view the world from their perspective. This story's pacing is a bit slower than the first one, and the plot line wasn't as engaging, but the emotion was still evident. Overall, it's a unique look into the Civil rights movement and how it affected teenagers at the time. Any middle school or high school student could access this text, learn from it, and enjoy it.
This book is the sequel to The Rock and the River, and they both deal with black teenagers in the 60's involved in the Black Panther organization. This book was powerful in the sense that it gave a glimpse into a controversial group and helped readers view the world from their perspective. This story's pacing is a bit slower than the first one, and the plot line wasn't as engaging, but the emotion was still evident. Overall, it's a unique look into the Civil rights movement and how it affected teenagers at the time. Any middle school or high school student could access this text, learn from it, and enjoy it.
October 26, 2021
This story followed The Rock and the River through Maxie's perspective - as the days of the Civil Rights Movement in 1968 rolled on through. Maxie is still struggling with Stick's death, as is her former boyfriend, Sam, who was the narrator in the first book.
The storyline followed as I expected it would. I was glad to finish the story of Sam and Maxie, and I feel the author portrayed The Black Panther Party with as much positive light as one could do. This book would be great for anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction.
The storyline followed as I expected it would. I was glad to finish the story of Sam and Maxie, and I feel the author portrayed The Black Panther Party with as much positive light as one could do. This book would be great for anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction.
March 20, 2023
Magoon imbued a sense of maturity in the narrative, one befitting the situation and the characters inhabiting the story. Although I probably could have done with a refresher on the first book, this narrative stands firm enough on its own feet, providing a window into the realities of life existing around the time of well known events but using them as pivot points. I think this book makes an excellent recommendation for the advanced middle grade reader and/or younger YA readers.
July 20, 2020
Loved this book! Beautifully written. A wonderful historical fiction resource for students studying the US civil rights movement of the late 60s/early 70s. A heartfelt look at the Black Panther movement from the inside.
December 28, 2017
Good, for a novel assignment book. ;) I thought the traitor was going to be Sam all along, but was surprised when it was Raheem.
March 8, 2018
Slow start but became very emotional. A truly relate-able and touching story.
August 3, 2019
3.8 (would have been 4 but the ending felt rushed)
August 9, 2020
Interesting young-adult historical fiction about the Black Panther Party in Chicago in 1968.
October 15, 2020
Strong story of a young girl deciding who she wants to be, within and without, and the consequences of making those decisions.
Read
May 19, 20252025- Was a slog for me personally. Much preferred the first book.
March 10, 2017
Lived up to my rather high expectations after finishing the first installment of the series. Great adult reading, really interesting situation, and completely immersing.
September 2, 2012
Maxie, Patrice, and Emmalee have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Normally when they're together they're talking a mile a minute, but these are not normal times. As they head to the protest, fearing that riots may break out and promising to stay together, they sit in silence. Maxie knows that these protests are important and she'll have to be brave if she wants to be a Black Panther but Patrice and Emmalee would rather be enjoying what's left of the summer. Soon Emmalee and Patrice stop going with Maxie when she volunteers at the Panther office, and when a traitor is discovered in their midst Maxie wonders if there's anyone she can trust anymore. If you suspected someone you loved of betraying everything you believe in, which would you sacrifice?
I enjoyed seeing what happened after The Rock and the River and I particularly liked the perspective that centering the story around a different character provided. Both books are superb but I could relate more to the talkative Maxie and her struggles as she slowly drifts apart from her childhood friends. Maxie is a strong lead and I was completely immersed in her story and eagerly flipping pages to find out what would happen next as she faced astonishingly difficult choices. These decisions would generate a lot of excellent discussions in a reading group or classroom. As with the first novel, the historical setting helped provide me with deeper understanding of the period it was set in and a perspective that is too often missing from history lessons on that era. Maxie's story and voice will stay with me for a long time into the future.
Of course those who enjoyed The Rock and the River will be eager to continue with this novel. While reading both with allow a richer understanding and is something I definitely recommend as both are excellent, this novel stands well on its own and does enough to establish context that reading The Rock and the River first is not necessary. I'd give this to anyone looking for an absorbing historical fiction or for a book to spark rich discussions and debate. Those with an interest in the civil rights movement in particular will find this an excellent read. The novel discusses a dark and difficult era and some violence is necessary to do the story justice, but I would say it's okay for mature middle schoolers. Adult readers will find plenty to sink their teeth into as well.
Read more of my reviews at http://auldschoollibrarian.blogspot.com/
I enjoyed seeing what happened after The Rock and the River and I particularly liked the perspective that centering the story around a different character provided. Both books are superb but I could relate more to the talkative Maxie and her struggles as she slowly drifts apart from her childhood friends. Maxie is a strong lead and I was completely immersed in her story and eagerly flipping pages to find out what would happen next as she faced astonishingly difficult choices. These decisions would generate a lot of excellent discussions in a reading group or classroom. As with the first novel, the historical setting helped provide me with deeper understanding of the period it was set in and a perspective that is too often missing from history lessons on that era. Maxie's story and voice will stay with me for a long time into the future.
Of course those who enjoyed The Rock and the River will be eager to continue with this novel. While reading both with allow a richer understanding and is something I definitely recommend as both are excellent, this novel stands well on its own and does enough to establish context that reading The Rock and the River first is not necessary. I'd give this to anyone looking for an absorbing historical fiction or for a book to spark rich discussions and debate. Those with an interest in the civil rights movement in particular will find this an excellent read. The novel discusses a dark and difficult era and some violence is necessary to do the story justice, but I would say it's okay for mature middle schoolers. Adult readers will find plenty to sink their teeth into as well.
Read more of my reviews at http://auldschoollibrarian.blogspot.com/
Read
December 5, 2012Magoon, K. (2012). Fire in the streets. New York: Simon and Schuster/Aladdin. 336 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4424-2230-8. (Hardcover); $16.99.
Kekla Magoon is an author to watch (http://www.spicyreads.org/Author_Vide...- scroll down). One of my favorite books from 2007 is Magoon’s The Rock and the River. At the time, I mentioned in reviews that we have very few books that even mention the Black Panther Party, let alone deal with them in a careful, thorough way. Fire in the Streets continues the story Magoon began in her debut book. While her family’s financial fortunes drip away, not helped by her mother’s drinking and assortment of boyfriends, the Panthers provide a very real respite for Maxie. Sam is still dealing with the death of his brother. Maxie’s relationship with Sam only serves to confuse and upset them both. Her friends, Emmalee and Patrice, are slowly drifting away. The Panther Party is the only thing that seems to make sense and she basks in its routine and consistency. She longs to become a full member of the Panthers and constantly battles with her Panther brother Raheem over her maturity and ability to do more than office tasks. Maxie wants to have her own gun. When Maxie discovers that there is someone working with the Panthers that is leaking information to the government about Panther activity, Maxie investigates. Someone is attempting to destroy the only place that offers her shelter. Maxie is determined to discover the identity of the traitor, thinking that this will prove her worth to the organization. However, the truth is not simple and it is filled with pain. Unfortunately we still do not have many teen books that deal substantially with the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the Black Panther Party, and the social problems in Chicago that lead to the civil unrest. Thankfully, Fire in the Streets lives up to the standard Magoon set with The Rock and the River. Readers will feel like they have stepped back in time. Magoon’s factual tidbits add journalistic realism to the story and only improves the atmosphere. Maxie has spunk. Readers will empathize with her Atlas-task of trying to hold onto her world. Fire in the Streets belongs in all middle school and high school libraries. While readers are able to read this story independently of The Rock and the River, I strongly urge readers to read both and in order. Magoon’s recognition by the Coretta Scott King committee and the NAACP Image awards are NOT mistakes!
Kekla Magoon is an author to watch (http://www.spicyreads.org/Author_Vide...- scroll down). One of my favorite books from 2007 is Magoon’s The Rock and the River. At the time, I mentioned in reviews that we have very few books that even mention the Black Panther Party, let alone deal with them in a careful, thorough way. Fire in the Streets continues the story Magoon began in her debut book. While her family’s financial fortunes drip away, not helped by her mother’s drinking and assortment of boyfriends, the Panthers provide a very real respite for Maxie. Sam is still dealing with the death of his brother. Maxie’s relationship with Sam only serves to confuse and upset them both. Her friends, Emmalee and Patrice, are slowly drifting away. The Panther Party is the only thing that seems to make sense and she basks in its routine and consistency. She longs to become a full member of the Panthers and constantly battles with her Panther brother Raheem over her maturity and ability to do more than office tasks. Maxie wants to have her own gun. When Maxie discovers that there is someone working with the Panthers that is leaking information to the government about Panther activity, Maxie investigates. Someone is attempting to destroy the only place that offers her shelter. Maxie is determined to discover the identity of the traitor, thinking that this will prove her worth to the organization. However, the truth is not simple and it is filled with pain. Unfortunately we still do not have many teen books that deal substantially with the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the Black Panther Party, and the social problems in Chicago that lead to the civil unrest. Thankfully, Fire in the Streets lives up to the standard Magoon set with The Rock and the River. Readers will feel like they have stepped back in time. Magoon’s factual tidbits add journalistic realism to the story and only improves the atmosphere. Maxie has spunk. Readers will empathize with her Atlas-task of trying to hold onto her world. Fire in the Streets belongs in all middle school and high school libraries. While readers are able to read this story independently of The Rock and the River, I strongly urge readers to read both and in order. Magoon’s recognition by the Coretta Scott King committee and the NAACP Image awards are NOT mistakes!
September 22, 2012
The Rock and the River blew me away when I read it, almost two years ago, now. I loved Sam, his brother, the struggle and the romance he had with Maxie...and it was centered in the greatest city in the world: CHICAGO.
So I was thrilled when I found out Magoon was coming out with a sequel, focusing on Sam's girlfriend, Maxie. And, as I did with The Rock and the River, I loved this story as well.
Maxie lives in 1968 Chicago, months after the assassination of MLK. Chicago -especially the Black community- is swelling with ferocity and relations between blacks and the police are at an all time low. Maxie's mother is a part time drunk and she and her brother, Raheem struggle to make ends meet in their project home. But Maxie doesn't let all that get her down (most times). She has the Black Panthers, the organization her brother, her ex, Sam, and others in her community are involved in. And Maxie -a type of secretary for its office- wants to be a real Panther too. But because she's so young, no one will let her. So Maxie fights to prove that she is tough enough to be a Panther while battling through the sadness and difficulties she is faced with.
I really liked Magoon's writing. I often find that with books like these -juvenile novels (especially of the African American variety) that the author gets away with writing badly just because the novel has an interesting concept. But Magoon does not belittle her supposed young audience and writes with precision and grace that I appreciate. I liked Maxie and I am glad to see what happened to Sam (although I kinda wish I had seen more of him). I liked the characters in general and the story line is good. I know that this is probably it for the story, which makes me sad because it's such an invigorating story. I hate to see it go.
So I was thrilled when I found out Magoon was coming out with a sequel, focusing on Sam's girlfriend, Maxie. And, as I did with The Rock and the River, I loved this story as well.
Maxie lives in 1968 Chicago, months after the assassination of MLK. Chicago -especially the Black community- is swelling with ferocity and relations between blacks and the police are at an all time low. Maxie's mother is a part time drunk and she and her brother, Raheem struggle to make ends meet in their project home. But Maxie doesn't let all that get her down (most times). She has the Black Panthers, the organization her brother, her ex, Sam, and others in her community are involved in. And Maxie -a type of secretary for its office- wants to be a real Panther too. But because she's so young, no one will let her. So Maxie fights to prove that she is tough enough to be a Panther while battling through the sadness and difficulties she is faced with.
I really liked Magoon's writing. I often find that with books like these -juvenile novels (especially of the African American variety) that the author gets away with writing badly just because the novel has an interesting concept. But Magoon does not belittle her supposed young audience and writes with precision and grace that I appreciate. I liked Maxie and I am glad to see what happened to Sam (although I kinda wish I had seen more of him). I liked the characters in general and the story line is good. I know that this is probably it for the story, which makes me sad because it's such an invigorating story. I hate to see it go.
October 22, 2014
I loved the first in this "series," "The Rock and the River." I was not as enamoured of this novel.
This is Maxie's story, spun off of "The Rock and the River" into a main character here. She is not nearly as complex as Sam, the protagonist in "Rock," and I found her struggles to be superficial at best--every other page it is reiterated into readers' minds that Maxie wants to be a Black Panther. Gone from the first novel are the nuanced arguments for and against nonviolent protest; gone are the various points of view complicating the first novel; gone are the empathetic characters and character development. Chapters are short and choppy, and Maxie becomes increasingly irritating and grating as her desire to be a "full" Panther increases throughout the novel.
The climax is really not much of a climax, especially compared to the heart-wrenching climax of "Rock." What this novel does well is demonstrate the clear and divisive class distinctions in the Black community--Sam's family is educated and well-off, respected, and intact. Maxie lives in the projects, has an absentee father, and a drunk and drug-addicted mother incapable of holding down a job. Her brother, Raheem, who readers meet in "Rock," is a prominent character in this novel, but it's difficult to care about their home life since the mother is a nonentity and not ever fully fleshed out the way Sam's parents are.
I strongly recommend "The Rock and the River" to anyone interested in history--it is one of the best novels, and one of only a very few that I'm aware of, that deal with the complicated issues surrounding Black 1968 politics and the move from nonviolence to militancy. This "female" version or companion novel is a pale comparison.
This is Maxie's story, spun off of "The Rock and the River" into a main character here. She is not nearly as complex as Sam, the protagonist in "Rock," and I found her struggles to be superficial at best--every other page it is reiterated into readers' minds that Maxie wants to be a Black Panther. Gone from the first novel are the nuanced arguments for and against nonviolent protest; gone are the various points of view complicating the first novel; gone are the empathetic characters and character development. Chapters are short and choppy, and Maxie becomes increasingly irritating and grating as her desire to be a "full" Panther increases throughout the novel.
The climax is really not much of a climax, especially compared to the heart-wrenching climax of "Rock." What this novel does well is demonstrate the clear and divisive class distinctions in the Black community--Sam's family is educated and well-off, respected, and intact. Maxie lives in the projects, has an absentee father, and a drunk and drug-addicted mother incapable of holding down a job. Her brother, Raheem, who readers meet in "Rock," is a prominent character in this novel, but it's difficult to care about their home life since the mother is a nonentity and not ever fully fleshed out the way Sam's parents are.
I strongly recommend "The Rock and the River" to anyone interested in history--it is one of the best novels, and one of only a very few that I'm aware of, that deal with the complicated issues surrounding Black 1968 politics and the move from nonviolence to militancy. This "female" version or companion novel is a pale comparison.
January 29, 2013
It was good; definitely a 5-star read. However, it did not live up to "The Rock and the River" in my opinion. "The Rock and the River" had well-rounded, memorable characters and palpable tension... it got so bad and I got so worried that I almost quit reading the book. "Fire in the Streets" just lacked... something. I think maybe it was the character development. In "The Rock and the River" we got to know many sides of Sam (and Stick). We came to truly love this brotherly duo. I never felt that for Raheem and Maxie. We saw Raheem the Protector. We saw Raheem the Provider. Raheem the... well, that's about it. And we saw Maxie the Sometimes Friend. Maxie the Sometimes Girlfriend. Maxie the Sometimes Loving Sister. Maxie the Wannabe Panther. Maxie the Insecure. Maxie the Insecure. Maxie the Insecure. Yes, that's right; most of the book, to me, centered around Maxie's insecurities. I just never fell in love with her like I did with Sam. I never worried about the decisions Maxie would make or the path she would take because I just didn't care for her like I did for Sam.
All of that aside, this is a GREAT book! The plot is action-packed and unique. Where the book ended was most certainly not where I thought it would be... and neither were the twists and turns the plot took along the way. I highly respect Ms. Magoon for choosing a time, place, and group of people that are so under-represented in young adult literature. If you read and enjoyed "The Rock and the River" you canNOT miss out on this companion book!
All of that aside, this is a GREAT book! The plot is action-packed and unique. Where the book ended was most certainly not where I thought it would be... and neither were the twists and turns the plot took along the way. I highly respect Ms. Magoon for choosing a time, place, and group of people that are so under-represented in young adult literature. If you read and enjoyed "The Rock and the River" you canNOT miss out on this companion book!
June 20, 2013
This is the second in this series, which I did not realize when I started reading. It doesn't really matter if I read the first book anyway. Maxie is Raheem's little sister trying her best to become a Black Panther in civil rights torn Chicago during a hot summer, when things can happen. She has a friend, Sam, who is a boy, but not quite a boyfriend, whose history is explained in the first book in this series. Maxie and Raheem's mother tries to be a good mother but has trouble providing for her children, making it so hard that Raheem feels the need to pick up the slack, whether it's a second job or other means to make rent payments, light payments, not to mention buying food for Maxie and his family. The Black Panthers are on the rise and while I think this book does a good job of portraying the violence, anger, and hatred present during those times, I felt that Maxie was TOO consumed by her need to belong in their group. Without spoiling the story, I figured out who the traitor was before Maxie did and while it was shocking, her reaction shocked me even more. I'd recommend this to students who liked Rita Williams-Garcia's One Hot Crazy Summer, esp. with her 2nd book out now.
April 24, 2015
While I didn't find the writing of Fire in the Streets as metaphorical and full of imagery as The Rock and the River, this companion novel gave me a whole different perspective to the world of the original: the perspective of poverty in black communities in 1968 and how the black power movement moved parallel to, sometimes dovetailing with, that of the anti-war movement. I liked reading from Maxie's female perspective and on seeing how Sam and Maxie's relationship stops, goes, and develops through tragedy. That said, this book is no teen romance; Maxie is mostly concerned with the political realities of her community. I won't spoil the end, but the reality of what a "good" ending is for this book about this girl during this time period wrecked me. I'm quickly seeking out more of Kekla Magoon's work and putting it into the hands of students. She writes about important topics that students (and everyone else) need to know about. And, hey Vermonters, she's a local from Burlington!
October 24, 2012
In 1968 Chicago, fourteen-year-old Maxie wants nothing more than to join the Black Panthers. She believes in all that they stand for and volunteers at the office every day in hopes of proving to everyone that she has what it takes to become a member. But, she keeps being turned down because they say she's too young. Tired of jobs she considers petty, such as stuffing envelopes and answering the phone, she comes up with a way to prove her readiness. Maxie is determined to find out who the traitor is that’s feeding confidential Black Panther information to the cops. What she uncovers turns her whole world upside down. She must decide what means more – family or comrades.
This companion to THE ROCK AND THE RIVER is not one to be missed. It offers a realistic view into the climate of American when the Black Panther Party was in its heyday.
This companion to THE ROCK AND THE RIVER is not one to be missed. It offers a realistic view into the climate of American when the Black Panther Party was in its heyday.
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