The Rock and the River

The Rock and the River #1

by Kekla Magoon

The Time: 1968

The Place: Chicago

For thirteen-year-old Sam it's not easy being the son of known civil rights activist Roland Childs. Especially when his older (and best friend), Stick, begins to drift away from him for no apparent reason. And then it happens: Sam finds something that changes everything forever.

Sam has always had faith in his father, but when he finds literature about the Black Panthers under Stick's bed, he's not sure who to believe: his father or his best friend. Suddenly, nothing feels certain anymore.

Sam wants to believe that his father is right: You can effect change without using violence. But as time goes on, Sam grows weary of standing by and watching as his friends and family suffer at the hands of racism in their own community. Sam beings to explore the Panthers with Stick, but soon he's involved in something far more serious -- and more dangerous -- than he could have ever predicted. Sam is faced with a difficult decision. Will he follow his father or his brother? His mind or his heart? The rock or the river?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Fiction, Middle Grade, African American, Teen

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 2009

Reviews

[Kekla Magoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just joined Goodreads....and yes, I am rating my own book. Why? Because I can! Hehe.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a variety of different bugaboos that I'll periodically remove from my bag of standard complaints and shout about for long periods of time. They're comforting. They bring me peace. One such complaint concerns The Black Panthers and children's literature. Mainly the fact that the two never meet up. Ever. Once in a while a stray bit of YA literature will come along and mention the Panthers, but it's exceedingly rare. The last time it happened (America Dreaming: How Youth Changed America in the 60's by Laban Hill) the Panthers got a small chapter and then the book moved on swiftly. I've never been able to figure this out. The Panthers were built for exciting literature. Why ignore their amazing history? The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon answers that question almost immediately. For any author to write about the Panthers they need all the tools at their discretion. They need to be able to show depth, both sides to every issue, complex ideology, and difficult choices. To be blunt, the writer needs to do a lot more work than you might find in your average fictional fare. A little blood, a little sweat, and a whole bucket of tears appear to have gone into Magoon's novel, and the result is a book that never reaches for the easy answers. This is a book that challenges young readers to think. Always (as we can see here) a dangerous proposition.

Being the son of a prominent Civil Rights activist in 1968 Chicago isn't as much fun as you might think. Half the time brothers Stick and Sam are stuck standing for hours at rallies without really feeling connected to the event. Their imposing father (always referred to as "Father" and never "Dad") runs a tight ship. That's why Sam finds it all the stranger when his brother starts hanging out with The Black Panthers. Reconciling what the Panthers say to how they are perceived, particularly by his parents, pushes Sam to choose between to different paths. Or are they really as different as he initially thought? The answer isn't easy to understand.

Normally civil rights era novels for young people are easy to write. Racists = bad. Black people and folks friendly to the Civil Rights cause = good. Once in a while a sympathetic child of the racists will get thrown in there for spice, but generally you know what to expect. Good and evil are practically outlined in black markers and thick white paint. Black Panthers put an entirely different spin on the whole outlook. And I admit that I was pretty skeptical when I first picked this book up. I decided right off the bat that I knew how the story would take shape. Sam's older brother would join the Panthers. He'd be initially drawn to how cool they were and then draw back when he saw them do something violent. Then the ending would contain some self-satisfied reinforcement of Civil Rights movement politics and the Panthers would come off looking like they do in the movie Forrest Gump. Which is to say, no better than thugs. So when the book veered sharply away from my cynical predictions, you could have bowled me over with a spoon. They mention the breakfast program? They mention the classes and all the points in their ten-point platform? And not to spoil it, but if you see the ending of this book coming then I tip my hat to you. It came out of the blue for me.

Because a part of what Magoon does so well is to bring issues of class into this book. Class in kids' books usually is used as a foil for a character. Example: Such n' so was poor, and here's the story of how they became rich. In terms of historical fiction, your main character can be poor or they can be friends with someone from the wrong side of the tracks. What The Rock and the River does is place its story within the context of class. The Civil Rights movement did a lot of good, but there was a perception amongst lower income blacks that for all the supposed strides, they themselves weren't seeing a lot of change. Police could still go into their neighborhoods, beat them up, and arrest them for no reason at all. There's a moment in the book when Sam's girl, Maxie, points out to him that he may have a different view of how black men get arrested because he's an upper-middle class kid and she lives in a rough part of town. Because in terms of the who the cops arrest, "They don't need a reason. Maybe they do up where you live, but they sure don't down here." It becomes clear that what the Panthers did well was support their lower-income communities. They gave out free breakfasts. They patrolled the neighborhoods to keep an eye on police abuses. Magoon doesn't point fingers or ever say that one group or another did more immediate good for the poorer people, but you understand why the Panthers existed and why they felt a need to help. As Stick says, "It's the difference between demonstrating and organizing... Between waiting for handouts that aren't coming, or taking care of each other the way we have to. It's the rock and the river, you know? They serve each other, but they're not the same thing."

The book is particularly good at showing the reader that particular kind of pain that comes with living with someone (in this case, a parent) that exudes certainty and righteousness at all times. Once you hit a certain age you think that you'll never be able to do enough to please them. So Stick's disillusionment with peaceful protests has as much to do with his thoughts about his father as anything else. As for Sam, he feels like he isn't certain of anything at all. He envies Maxie, Stick, and even his father for believing so completely in their causes while he is left to fend for himself. To figure out what's right from what's wrong. In the midst of all this I was a little surprised to see Sam pretty much going where he wanted, and doing what he wanted for quite a lot of this book. His parents are supposedly keeping him on a tight reign, but at the same time he's getting away with a lot. It just seemed oddly permissive of these otherwise stodgy parents. Also, the plot jumps about a bit. There's a herky jerky quality to it that leaps from place to place and emotion to emotion without there always being a rhyme or reason. Judicious ironing could have helped, I think.

The magic of the book, however, lies less in the plotting and more in the effect on the reader. Here Magoon's language is key. Right from the start you're reading sentences like "Rough concrete pillars stood proud above the courthouse steps, looking weathered and bored, like they were tired of carrying the weight of the law on their shoulders." And on the next page, "I was tired of marching, of protesting. Of leaning my back against a wall and expecting the wall to move." I love that right from the start Magoon has honed in on what her character feels and wants and doesn't want. She has a talent for synthesizing a person into their simplest form. Stick and his father? "Not a bone of compromise in either of them." And later in the book Sam end up supporting his father. "I could tell he was trying not to lean against me, but he had to, so he did." Showing not telling, kids. Showing not telling.

Name me a book for young people that explains rioting. Not the effects of the people hurt by it, but why people do it in the first place. Name me a book for kids that contains a sentence equivalent to, "... as long as you think being a Panther just means carrying a gun, you won't be able to understand what's happening here." Name me a book for kids that even mentions the Black Panthers in a complex manner. The good and the bad. The problems and the solutions. As it stands, Kekla Magoon's book is an original. There are few enough books out there like it, and I think we have room in this world for more. A smart, sensible, deeply layered title. A necessary addition to our shelves from a time period too often colored in black and white terms.

Ages 10 and up.

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the 'hood in Chicago during one of the most tumultuous years in race relations, 1968. Roland Childs is a disciple and friend of Martin Luther King, while his two boys struggle with the slow progress of non-violence. Older brother Stick joins the Black Panther Party, while younger brother Sam struggles with which group he wants to join. Peaceful protests turn violent, and a close friend of the boys is jailed because of his skin color. While Magoon did reasonably well with the family strife and friendships as well as framing the different approaches to protest, the book did not do well capturing the atmosphere of despair on the ghettos, which resulted in the Black Power movement.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far this is my favorite book I've had to read for my Young Adult Lit class - it's infinitely better written and organized, all the characters are well done, and even though the point of the book is to educate kids about the civil rights movement, it never feels preachy or condescending.

The story takes place in Chicago in the 1960's, and begins right before Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Fourteen-year-old Sam's father is an important civil rights leader who advocates nonviolent protesting. But Sam's older brother has secretly joined the Black Panthers, and Sam is torn between the two of them.

Like I said - all very well done and enjoyable, and I even learned some stuff about the civil rights movement that I hadn't known before.

Read for: Social Justice in Young Adult Literature

[Rachel León]

(Maybe 4.5 stars? Maybe even be 5?)

This novel is so poignant and powerful. I read it to my oldest years ago and just finished reading it to my younger two tonight. (My youngest cried at the ending.) This powerful novel takes place in Chicago in 1968 and is narrated by Sam, a 13 year old kid whose father is a civil rights leader friends with, and similar to, Martin Luther King Jr. Sam's older brother is drawn to the Black Panthers and that philosophy over their father's nonviolent approach, which seems rather passive when there is so much racial injustice in Sam's community. Sam wrestles with his feelings on which approach he agrees with more--the rock or the river. The novel is well-written and actually very timely, despite it being historical fiction. Rereading it made me remember what a good writer Kekla Magoon is and reminded me that I need to read more of her work.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in Chicago the summer of 1968 and I remember what it was like from a wholly different perspective than this book. I was twelve and the angry black young men I encountered during that vacation were frightening to me. All these years later I am ashamed to say that I finally begin to see a glimmer of what that anger represented. 1968 was a critical period in the Civil Rights Movement. This book takes us inside the lives of people who struggled with fighting for the rights they deserved from two different schools of thought--Martin Luther King's nonviolent social disobedience or The Black Panther's more militant approach. Though it is a fictional account, it brought this period in American history home to me in a way that I think will also be important for the YA's who read it. A Golden Sower Nominee for sure.
Favorite Quote:
"The river moves, but it follows a path. when it tires of one journey, it rubs through some rock to forge a new way. Hard work, but that's its nature...I was the river. I was the one who would turn the corner and see what tomorrow held in store."

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I appreciated most about this book is the slow build to significant, hard-hitting, timeless questions about ethics, and how Magoon managed to challenge two different approaches to achieving civil rights without showing bias. This book is balanced, not preachy, and a perfect conversation-starter for seventh grade "justice warriors." It reads young, which made me lose interest at times, but it's good to have The Rock and the River in my pocket for my middle school readers. I'm glad I read it.

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little unsure of a young adult novel talking about a boy's struggle around whether to join the Black Panther Party or stay with his father's nonviolent ideals, but my worries were quickly laid to rest by Magoon's fluid prose and her ability to frame analysis and criticism in a way that seems appropriate for the 13-year-old narrator.

The Rock and the River is not your typical young adult novel taking place during the Civil Rights Movement. It doesn't present things as being black and white, or as there being the Evil Violent Black Panthers and the Good Nonviolent Demonstrators. Magoon adeptly shows the differences between the two movements, but also shows where they and their goals overlap. Her description of the more-well-known civil rights movement goes past demonstrations and passive resistance, while her discussion of the Black Panther Party goes into political education classes, the breakfast program, building clinics, et cetera. I was also impressed by Magoon's deft weaving of social class into the story -- it was often present, yet never seemed overbearing... even when discussions of class were a topic of discussion.

And perhaps the best part is that Magoon does this all relatively non-judgmentally -- I finished the book feeling that there are pros and cons to both methods, that both groups had successes and failures, and that there is more than one right answer.

[MaryannP · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rock and the River received reviews from The School Library Journal and Book List as well as the Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe Award for New Talent. This book takes place during the Civil Rights Movement where the main characters father is friends with Martin Luther King Jr. The father is a civil rights leader and speaker, just like Martin Luther King Jr. was.

The two main characters who are the sons are Stick and Sam. Stick is the older brother who is secretly part of the Black Panthers, a rebelled group, until his brother Sam finds out. Sam found out when he found a handgun wrapped in one of Stick's shirts in his room.

One of the issues in the book that led to trial at the end of the book had to do with Bucky. Bucky was part of the Black Panthers group and was out delivering something when the police stopped him and hit him with their baton sick repeatedly for no reason. They then arrested him and gave him two counts of assaulting police and resisting arrest, when he did nothing. This becomes a trial later where Sam and Maxie, his friend that he likes, have to testify for him because they witnessed the whole thing. Sam was walking Maxie home when it happened, in broad daylight.

The book then leads to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death when he was shot. This turned into a huge battle in the streets with shots, and fires, and broken glass everywhere from homes and businesses being destroyed. Stick is very outspoken and wants to do what's right so he tells his father that he needs to fight back and that he's apart of the Black Panthers. His dad is not happy about this, but Stick leaves and goes out to where the riots and fighting is.

Later on, the dad is leading a demonstration speech and Sam stood in front with him. Sam brought the gun because he didn't know what to do with it. Blacks were on one side and whites were on the other. The police brought Bucky out and someone started fighting Stick. Same saves Stick, but you will have to read to find out how. Something then happens to his dad giving the speech and the mom blames it on Stick and the Panther boys for getting everyone on edge after Kings' death. In chapter 17, Bucky's trial begins and Bucky is found not guilty! Everyone is happy.

At the end of the book is where all the action happens. Something happens to Stick, Raheem, another black panther, and Sam go after a cop, a new clinic is about to open to help people who can't afford medical aide, and Sam is faced with his biggest decision ever, fight back and go to jail or die, or be the bigger person in the end. Read to find out what happens to Sam.

I would rate this book a 4 out of 5. The beginning of the text starts out slow, but the middle and end are page turners where you will not want to put the book down. The author does a great job of getting you to connect with the characters on their level, feel how they're feeling and witness what they're witnessing.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful story told through the perspective of 13-year-old Sam Childs, set towards the end of the Civil Rights Movement in 1968. Growing up with well-known civil rights activist Roland Childs as his father, Sam was raised to believe that non-violent protests are the only reasonable answer in fighting social injustice. At the same time, the Black Panther Party was just gaining popularity, offering a sharp contrast to the peaceful non-violent protests favored by Sam's father and Dr. Martin Luther King. It just so happens that Sam's older brother Stick seems to favor the latter movement, and ends up joining the Black Panther Party. This puts Sam in a difficult situation, as two of the most important male figures in his life have completely different beliefs on a topic that effects them not only as a family but as a part of society as a whole.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed this story so much is that is sets itself apart from the other books I have read that take place during the Civil Rights movement. I learned very little about the Black Panther party throughout school, and it was fascinating to read a book--especially a young adult novel--that incorporated both movements that characterized this era. Kekla Magoon did a great job of educating the reader through her story without making it seem like it was one movement against another, or good versus evil--she gave an in-depth look into each movement and the methods they used, the beliefs that led them and the ideals they were founded on. Most importantly, Magoon shows that despite their differences, both movements were fighting for the greater good of society. I think this young adult novel would be a great addition to a unit on the Civil Rights movement, as it gives readers all sides of the Civil Rights story as opposed to just one.

[Lovekitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon. Happily and undoubtedly, I say that this was the first book I really enjoyed reading in a while.

The story centers around Sam Childs, a young teen living in Chicago at the end of the civil rights era and the beginning of The Black Panther Party movement. He and his older brother, whom he calls Stick, are the sons of civil rights activist Roland Childs, and have been taught and exposed to his ideals of nonviolence and "passive resistance."
Both Sam and Stick are becoming quite tired of their father's way of doing things, especially Stick, who soon becomes a Black Panther after an unfortunate event at one of Roland's speeches. After that, Sam is caught in the middle of two philosophies, and he isn't very sure were his loyalty lies or where he wants to be, hence the meaning of the title.

The subject matter itself was enough to draw you in.
It was well written, spoken in first-person by the main character, which opened up to more profound and expressive prose of what the character was experiencing. Yet, it somehow seemed unrealistic to me, the way Sam expressed things just made me feel like his character should be older. It's just strange how this kid explains. But, it also captured the beauty and pain of it all, what Sam was truly going through, and that's realistic. Well, it's really up to the reader what to take away from how Sam explained; my conclusion, I can look past the weirdness and really get in tune with what he was saying.

The overall beautiful agony of the story and it's characters resonated with me. It's definitely worth reading and recommending to others.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This read very quickly whenever I picked up, but I never felt drawn back to the story, and after finishing I think I know why--it read to me much more like a vehicle than an organic story. The characters and incidents each felt like they were placed in a particular way to make a point, and of course this is the case in most books, but it felt obvious to me here; like the author had the message first and worked the book around it.

I thought the book was surprisingly dismissive of women. The mother is basically passive, and the teenage girl, while a strong young woman, seems to be more of a follower or even an annoyance than an actor in her own right. If this book had been written by a male author, I would be frustrated and annoyed; it was written by a female author, and I'm just puzzled.

I was uncomfortable with the messages about guns (even though most of them are refuted by the end), but I recognize that as discomfort caused by different ideas from those I was raised and educated on, and I think that was perhaps part of the author's goal--to call into question the hard-line stance on "violent" vs. non-violent protest in our history books.

[LibranSki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really strong book about the Civil Right Movement with strong elements of historical references that make for a vivid picture of the accounts at that time. Sam is the younger son of a Civil Rights Activist whose older brother gets in caught up in a couple questionable and unfortunate situations. Sam's life is turned upside down by the decisions of his bother and those around him that lead to ultimate changes in his life. While fighting for something bigger, sometimes we lose some along the way.

While the main character is 13, this story is not to be misguided at the high school while the main character may be 13, the other supporting characters are much older. The message remains strong and the historical portion of the book is similar to other during that time period.

Middle School appropriate as well.

[Apryl Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and captivating. Sam is a likable protagonist trying to get the girl, be the "good boy," and do the right thing. One could definitely empathize with not only Sam, but with some of the other characters in the story, including Stick and their parents. Only once I got to the end did I truly understand the title of the book. This novel taught me more about the Black Panthers than anything I ever learned about in school. Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone who likes YA literature.

[Chanice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few books that I've come across about the Civil Rights movement which is probably why I liked it so much. It's very rare for me to find a fiction YA book about civil rights and I really enjoyed this book because of that. I really liked how this book incorporated events that happened in real life. I loved pretty much everything about this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

[Michelle Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book. I listened to the audio version and felt as though it was really Sam telling his story. It provides the reader with a look into Sam's life as he struggles with decisions about resistance in the Civil Rights movement. He desperately wants to please both his dad and his brother who believe in difference ways to achieve true freedom. I learned a great deal about that time period, but particularly about the Black Panthers.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading up on the civil rights era, and historical fiction is a great way to immerse myself in it. This book is set in Chicago, 1968. The friction between the non-violence movement and the black panthers is one of the main forces of the book and that carries into one family in particular.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Stellar writing. A compelling read that is both an education and opportunity to appreciate a different perspective. Anyone who says YA fiction is not real literature should read Kekla Magoon.

[Aidan Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be a son of Martin Luther King Jr. or another historic name in civil rights history? The book The Rock and The River can give you that feeling and finally answer your questions. The book was written by Kekla Magoon and is a realistic fiction about a thirteen year old boy named Sam Childs. His dad, Roland, is a major civil rights activist during the civil rights era. Sam lives in Chicago, Illinois and has a mom, Marjorie, and brother, Steven.
The book starts out at a demonstration led by Roland. Sam is the younger brother and most like their father, but Steven, who liked to be called Stick, is older and gets into a little trouble. Sam abnormally suggests they leave the demonstration and Stick agrees but as they’re leaving a few white folks start a fight and everything breaks loose. Steven saw a defenseless old lady being punched by a white guy and stepped in to throw a few punches to get him off her. Stick loses the fight and Sam has to take him to the hospital. When their parents get there to pick them up and take them home Stick takes the blame for the whole incident. After a few days Bucky, a friend of Sam and Stick, sneaks into their room through the window. He made a lot of noise so Sam and Stick yelled at him to stay quiet. They were not allowed to have many visitors and they especially were not allowed to have any at all when their father had meetings with people like Martin Luther King. Roland knew he was on a hitlist and could trust only a few people. He also did not want to cause commotion in the neighborhood while having serious conversations with people like Martin Luther King. Bucky later has a run in with the law and is wronged by the police. At the next demonstration after Bucky’s wronging a person from the crowd shouted out the policeman’s address. Sam has a lot of responsibility because he is Roland’s son and now has a hard choice. He can either follow the group to avenge Bucky or he can follow his dad’s teachings.
The Rock and The River is a prophetic book that has many life lessons within it. It explains the reason behind the Black Panther Movement and The Civil Rights Movement. I understand where Sam is coming from when he feels it is unfair that he must act much older than he is. My father is a pastor so if I would be a child who causes mayhem people would question how good my father is at his profession. I give the book a 5 out of 5 for being relatable and a important story of how the times were back then.

[Jason Inyavong · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, The Rock and The River, takes place in the 1960s in Chicago and is about how Sam, who is the son of a civil rights activist, deals with many conflicts such as his brother Stick joining the Black Panthers, a group that goes against their father’s beliefs. The story takes place in the 1960s, so there are allusions to Dr. King and how he influences the actions of people such as Sam’s dad, Roland Childs. Roland Childs wants to have peaceful protests, but his older son Steven (Stick) sees that it doesn’t work quite well which causes him to join the Black Panthers. They are a group that believes that they need to police the police so that there won’t be any more killings of innocent black people. Peace to violence. This analogy occurs throughout the story because Sam has to make up his mind by either siding with his dad or his brother. In the book, there are also some uses of personification that tone the mood, “The walls groaned back at the rustling wind”. Roland Child’s diction is very important to the story since he’s a civil rights activist. He is very intelligent and always finds ways to make people listen to what he is saying. He also uses jargon when talking to certain people he works with as a civil rights activist. If you have the time, this is a great book that shows how black people fought for their rights to be treated just the same as white people, even if they had different methods of doing so.

[Benjamin Burling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a 3.5, not a 3, but Goodreads hates half stars. This was a book we read as a class for our 8th grade Reading Language Arts class this year. While at times it felt slow paced, I think some of it felt that way due to the time it takes to read a novel with a class of middle schoolers. Overall, it was a powerful story that sparked some engaging and enlightening conversations with our 8th graders. Learning about the Civil Rights Movement in Social Studies class is one thing, but reading a story from the perspective of someone smack-dab in the middle of it was an entirely different learning experience for them.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 April 2009 THE ROCK AND THE RIVER by Kekla Magoon, Aladdin, January 2009, 290p., ISBN: 978-1-4169-7582-3

"The Black Panther Party, without question, represents the grelac


atest threat to internal security of the country."
-- FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover in a late 1960's internal memo

With a click of the mouse, you can retrieve images of the Black Panther Party from the late 1960s -- the images that were broadcast into our suburban living rooms when Holling Hoodhood (from THE WEDNESDAY WARS) and I were junior high school students on Long Island. They were pretty unsettling images -- serious-faced Black guys with those black berets and shotguns -- at least if, like Holling and me in the spring of 1968, you were thirteen-year-old suburban white kids living a million miles away from those places where policemen far too often had people of color feeling totally unsafe in America.

"The cops took turns striking Bucky with their nightsticks, fists, and feet. The radio in the background seemed to sing louder, the cheerful pop tune warring with the sick thwack of baton blows against skin.

"The tall cop bent close to Bucky, his square nose practically touching Bucky's cheek, and said something. Bucky reacted sharply, jerking backward, his fists stretched out in front of him. The cop laughed and hammered Bucky's arms with his baton.

"The music cut suddenly and the silence suffocated the street. The air grew thick, hard to breathe without choking. Only the hum of cars on nearby streets disturbed the still air. The stocky cop lifted the radio from his belt and spoke into it.

"Maxie moved closer to me. This couldn't be happening right in front of us, especially not to Bucky. It went on forever. Finally the tall cop brought his nightstick down hard against Bucky's temple. The blow connected, making a loud crack. Maxie turned her face into my shoulder. I slid my arm over Maxie's back, hugging her closer."

In the spring of 1968 in Chicago, Sam is thirteen. He is the son of black Civil Rights activist Roland Childs, a confidante of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Like Dr. King, Mr. Childs is an uncompromising advocate and practitioner of nonviolence.

Sam and his older brother Steven (Stick) have grown up in the Movement. But lately, Stick, a voracious reader, has been surreptitiously studying the books and magazines being shared by his friends who are becoming involved with the Black Panthers.

When Sam and Stick encounter white thugs armed with bats, bottles, and sticks who are beating participants at the edge of the crowd at one of Father's protests, Stick gets into a fight and is bashed in the head with a broken bottle while trying to protect an elderly woman who is being attacked. The brothers split the scene with the approach of cops (They know which color will get arrested no matter who caused the trouble.) and head to the nearest hospital to get Stick's forehead sewn up.

To observe the treatment of the brothers at that Chicago hospital is to begin to understand what life was still like for Blacks dealing with white America in 1968. For Black kids like Sam and Stick, you could be in danger, or at least be treated inhumanely, at any given moment. For some like their close friend Bucky -- who had done absolutely nothing wrong -- the policemen who are supposed to be protecting you can so arbitrarily hurt you or kill you.

"Violence begets violence; hate begets hate; and toughness begets toughness. It is all a descending spiral, and the end is destruction -- for everyone." -- Dr. King, 1958

I have to admit that early on in reading THE ROCK AND THE RIVER, as I began to see the path Stick is embarking upon, I got prepared to tell stories of my high school friend Jamie Dunn who so greatly affected me back then with his advocacy and modeling of nonviolence. But my expectations of what was to come in THE ROCK AND THE RIVER had far too much to do with my simplistic perceptions dating back forty years of what the Black Panther Party was all about.

In the course of Sam Childs' coming of age story, amidst the American history I thought I knew so well, author Kekla Magoon has radically altered my understanding of the Black Panther Party. In her debut novel, Magoon, who studied history as an undergraduate, does an exceptional job of integrating many sides of very complex racial and political issues into this tense tale of an adolescent who has grown up in the Civil Rights Movement.

"Maybe now I could return to Father's world, bring all of myself back to the place I'd started from. Maybe I could learn to ignore the gnawing in the pit of my stomach telling me it wasn't enough."

There are powerful metaphors to be found in the huge building block structure that the brothers have been constructing for years in the room they share -- or shared until Stick was no longer willing or able to abide by Father's orders. Sam finds himself stuck between Father and Stick who are as similar in their uncompromising natures as they are seemingly different in their beliefs of what is the right thing to do. While engaging in an innocent relationship with his schoolmate Maxie, he has to deal on a daily basis with life and death issues.

Sam must make critical decisions on whether or not -- and if so, how -- to get involved. Will he be the rock or the river? Like me, he must come to a true understanding of the philosophy that his father lives by and what the Black Panthers and brotherhood are really all about.

[Onome · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually try to stay away African-American stories because they are so intense, raw, heartbreaking and just full. However, we must read them. We have to know their stories. Reading this, I have cried and felt the pain.

The author tells the story of young Sam caught in the middle of two ideologies. How do we fight injustice? Is there a one way approach or a myriad of approaches? These are questions this author raised. The style and language is smooth and every page heavy with emotions.

I won't forget this one in a while.

[Aryana Parmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually a pretty good book. I found it sitting around (it was my sister's from a novel study in 7th grade) so I just picked it up and read it since I had nothing else to read. But it was actually very good and I got into it right away. Once again, it is historical fiction and I loved it a lot. Everyone should definitely read it.

[Krisette Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chicago in 1968 was in turmoil as African American citizens rose up to defend their basic right to live without fear. The story is told through the eyes of a 13 year old African American boy, Sam, whose father espouses the ideals begun by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sam's brother, Stick, is introduced to the Black Panther movement and begins to move away from the family to join the Panthers.

The book is simplified as it is for a younger audience, but I really loved the author's portrayal of the Black Panther movement as more than just a militant organization. I had no idea they were providing so much to their community in the ghettoes. The author does an excellent job portraying the family strife and confusion that ensued for young Sam. The book is well worth reading for adults as well as for youth.

[Marina Doneda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a interesting read. Heavy topic presented in an understandable way. While parts were difficult to read due to the heaviness of the subject matter, this is an important topic for people to be reading about and the story kept me captivated, angry, and frustrated right with the characters.

[Yessica . · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHY WHY WHY

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Em's Review: 13 year old Sam Childs, son of a well known civil rights activist, has grown up believing that the non-violent protest methods of his father and Dr. King will lead to change. One day, Sam discovers literature about the Black Panthers under his older brother Stick’s bed. Stick brings a home a gun, and then soon after runs away to join the movement. After witnessing police brutality on the streets and learning of the assassination of Dr. King, Sam starts to question his father’s tactics and yearns to learn more about the Black Panther Party. Torn between two role models and caretakers – his father and his brother – Sam must make sense of his world and choose which path to take.

The Rock and the River takes place in 1968, the year in which Dr. King was assassinated, towards the end of the time period generally referred to as the Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968), and in the early days of the Black Panther Party (founded in Oakland in 1966). Sam is on the brink of adulthood and still looking for guidance from his father and brother, who seem to be on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. As the racial violence strikes closer to home, it becomes harder for him to understand and truly believe in the non-violent protest methods that his father has raised him on. But is he ready to throw those beliefs away? His anger draws him to the Panthers, but as he joins the party, he learns that there is more to them than uniforms and guns.

I was not taught anything about the Black Panther Party in school, aside from seeing occasional images of them (in the context of comparison to the non-violent protesters) wearing leather jackets and berets and carrying guns. And I doubt that I’m unique in this gap in my formal history studies. It’s a shame because, as Magoon’s novel proves, it’s valuable to see the various methods employed in the struggle and the connections and differences between the various parties. I also appreciate that Sam’s introduction to the Black Panther Party has him recognizing that there is more to them than their militancy. While he wavers back and forth between being drawn to and scared of the gun-toting aspect of the Panthers, Sam gains a feeling of hope for the movement and connection to his brother when dreaming of the Panther’s plan for a neighborhood clinic.

Sam isn’t only thinking about Civil Rights though. He’s 13 and he’s becoming an adult. He’s thinking of his future and his girlfriend Maxie, and yet also yearning for the comfort of childhood – of the days when he and Stick used to build a tower in their bedroom and share bedtime stories. His male role models have drifted apart from one another because of their politics and he’s not sure which one’s footsteps to follow in. It’s a confusing and emotional time for him, and as a reader it’s impossible not to root for him and wish to lend him a hand when he’s feeling alone.

I started off reading The Rock and the River by listening to the fabulous audio recording, read by Dion Graham whose vocal performance is spot on as usual. About mid-way through, I switched to reading the physical book, not because the audiobook wasn’t working for me (oh how it was), but rather the environment I was in made reading more appropriate than listening. And I think I switched at just the right time, being able to read at my own pace as the action picked up. About 3/4 of the way into the book, I simply couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. Sam, his internal struggles, and his connection to family during these trying times, is what really kept me engaged throughout the novel. Yet Magoon also inspired me to learn more about the history of this time period and specifically about the Black Panther Party. This is what I appreciate most about quality historical fiction – when authors manage to bring history to life in a way that encourages continued exploration.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magoon, Kekla. The Rock and the River. New York: Aladdin, 2009. Print.

Review: Sam Roland, the narrator of this novel, is the 13 year old son of Roland and Marjorie Childs. His father, an attorney and organizer for Martin Luther King 19s movement involving civil disobedience, has taken an oath of non-violence. Sam and his brother become physically involved in a riot during a non-violent protest and a speech by his father. His brother is hurt and is taken to the hospital where they are treated like second class citizens. All the while the boys know that they are not to fight back. It is 1968 Chicago, and the Black Panther Party is also gaining popularity. Steve Roland, Sam 19s 17 year old brother is becoming very interested in the Panther movement. Stick (Steve 19s nickname) begins to attend political education sessions being offered by the party. The party is also offering free breakfast for children before school every day. After Stick 19s friend Bucky is arrested on trumped up charges, Stick takes his place at Bucky 19s place of work to reserve his job until he is released from jail. Sam witnessed the arrest and Bucky is dependent on Sam 19s testimony. Even Sam 19s father helps in Bucky 19s defense. Members of both the Black Panther Party and Martin Luther King 19s followers attend the trial and support Bucky. Sam begins to attend the political education sessions, partly because his girlfriend Maxie attends, and partly because he believes in what the party is doing. He is beginning to be confused about how his father 19s movement is helping the downtrodden African American community. Sam has to make a decision whether to be a rock and take the high ground and to be immobile, or to be the river, which flows and represents motion and turmoil. This is a good book to read after reading The Help. Students can compare and contrast the needs and actions of the two communities, one in the Deep South and one in Chicago. Both novels take place during the in the 1960's involve the 1960 19s civil rights movement. The Help takes place in the early '60's in contrast to the The Rock and the River's setting in 1968.
Curriculum Connection: 1960 19s, civil rights, African American history, American history
Reading Level: Intermediate, Young Adult
Awards: Coretta Scott King Award, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Nutmeg 2012 nominee
Genre: Historical Novel, African American Studies
Leroy: A local leader of the Black Panthers. A man respected by Sam 19s father, but who has taken a different path. He explains to Sam that he can 19t be the rock and the river. He has to makeup his mind because the rock stands still and the river flows, and represents motion and turmoil.
Mama: Sam's mother.
Raheem: Stick's friend, Maxie's brother and a member of the Black Panthers.
Bucky: Stick 19s friend. Avery responsible young man who works hard to keep his mother and sister from being homeless. The police arrest him on trumped up charges for no reason other than bumping into them.
Sam: The 13 year old narrator of The Rock and the River. He is caught between his father 19s support of non-violence and following the Black Panther movement in 1968 Chicago.
Maxie: Raheem 19s little sister and Sam 19s best friend and girl friend. She lives in the projects with Raheem and her mother.
Stick: Sam 19s older brother Steven who decides to join the Black Panther party to help African Americans. Stick 19s and Sam 19s father is opposed to the Black Panther party 19s philosophy and methods.
Roland Childs: Sam and Steven 19s father. An attorney and organizer working for Martin Luther King 19s civil non-violence movement.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Sam Childs is the son of prominent civil rights activist, Roland Childs. Roland is an associate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a supporter of non-violent demonstrations. Sam's brother Steven ("Stick"), meanwhile, is a budding Black Panther. A series of events - an altercation at a demonstration, the wrongful arrest of a friend (Bucky), finding a gun which Stick has hidden in their shared room, and getting involved with his girlfriend in Panther-related activities such as the free breakfast and evening "political education classes" - places Sam between these two opposing forces and pulls him apart as he struggles to decide between "the rock" or "the river".
My Comments:
This well written, historical fiction book provides an honest and interesting look at the Civil Rights Movement and Black Panther organization of the 1960s. The author does an exceptional job in showing the tension between the non-violent civil rights movement represented by Sam’s dad and the Black Panther movement represented by Sam’s brother, Stick as well as their similar and different ideologies. There are no stereotypes here, and the reader can clearly see how Sam is torn between the rock and the river. The characters in the Childs family are interesting and well developed. This is an upper middle class well-educated black family. Sam’s dad is a lawyer and Sam wants to be an architect. Martin Luther King has been to their house. Sam’s dad has bodyguards. There are lower class black represented also. Bucky has dropped out of school to support his fatherless family and Sam’s girlfriend, Maxie, can’t afford mittens. There is a lot of violence in this book. Bucky is beaten by police, Sam’s dad is stabbed at a demonstration, and Sam’s brother is shot and killed by police. The violence is necessary for the reader to understand the rage and feeling of hopelessness felt by the black community during this time. This is an exciting book, which moves right along to a satisfactory conclusion. An author’s note at the end of the book gives further information in the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther party. This would be a wonderful book to pair with One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia. The Rock and the River takes place in Chicago, but some of the geography seems a bit off, as well as the main character wading in Lake Michigan in the spring! There is no bad language. Best suited to high school students and those wanting to know more about the Civil Rights Movement.