Customer Reviews

The Friendship

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mildred D. Taylor is a formidable presence in literature for young people. She is a recipient of the Newbery Medal, and this book, "The Friendship," is a winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. Together with Taylor's other books, "The Friendship" explores some painful aspects of African-American history.

This story takes place in Mississippi in the 1930s, and is told by Cassie, a young Black child. The conflict in the story revolves around Mr. Tom Bee, an elderly Black man who refuses to observe the racist custom that requires African-Americans to address all white-skinned men as "Mister."

"The Friendship" is a powerful story with great educational value. Taylor offers an unflinching look at life in the South before the civil rights movement. But be warned: this is a grim, violent story which, despite its title, carries very little hope of redemption or reconciliation. And a subplot involving one character is left dangling. Although all readers may not find the book wholly satisfying, I still recommend "The Friendship" as an important piece of fiction.

The Friendship was one of the greatest books written by Mildred Taylor. I have read a lot of her books, and this is definitely a 5 star winner. It really gives you the feel of how it was to live life back in the 1930's. It has a bit of humor, suspense, and some parts were meant to make you cry.

The story takes place in Mississippi in the 1930's. Mr. John Wallace had told the
Black sand the kids to call him "MR. John," not to call him by his first name because that's not right according to Mr. Wallace. The kids are allowed in Mr. Wallace's store. But Cassie and her brothers have been warned twice not go into the store because they will get into trouble. Then Mr. Tom Bee went into the store to buy medicine for Aunt Callie because she was very sick. Then Mr. Tom Bee went fishing. He had some fish in his hands and the kids and Mr. Tom Bee went into the store to buy some sardines and some candy canes. He handed out the candy to the kids. One of them had said no because "My hands were too dirty because " Mr. Tom Bee said, "Don't listen to them."

Tom Bee and the kids went walking to the store again to buy tobacco. Cassie asked Mr. Tom Bee, "Why do you call Mr. Wallace by his first name?" "Because I had saved his life twice when he almost drowned. I gave him a place to sleep and something to eat," Mr. Tom Bee answered. In the store Mr. Tom Bee called him by his first name in front of the men. The other men said, "Are you going let him to talk to you like that?" One of his sons was looking at him mad. Then Mr. Wallace went outside with the gun and shot him in the leg. He said," You owe me, John. I saved your life twice. You will stay the same till judgment day." "Then you have to kill me here on the road," Mr. Tom Bee said. Then he said his name two to three different times. The kids started to cry and they stared at him. And there was no sound of him.

I really liked the book a lot. At the end of the book was kind of sad when Mr. Wallace shot Mr. Tom Bee in the leg. I learned that most White didn't got along with the Black s at all. Also, I learned that many Whites didn't treat the Blacks right at all.

The Friendship was a really good book. We read it because it took place in 1933 and it was by the same author who wrote Mississippi Bridge. We read it in my seventh grade class, and the Whites always thought they were always higher than any Black person. Even a young White boy could be at a higher standing than a Black grown-up. The Blacks would always have to address a White man or woman with a "MRS." or "MR", but the Whites would not have to call them with a "Mrs." or "Mr." They could call them by them by their first name. See, way back then Blacks could not call Whites by their first name or else they would be in some big trouble. The Whites believed that it was respectful for Blacks to call Whites with a "Mr." or "Mrs." in front of their last name.

When they were kids Mr. Tom Bee saved John Wallace's life and John promised that Tom could call him Mr. Wallace by his first name forever.

This is what happened. Mr. Tom Bee called him by his first name because he saved John Wallace's life, not just once, but twice. The end was really great and John comes out and shoots Mr. Tom Bee in the knee and Mr. Tom Bee kept on hollering "JOHN, JOHN, JOHN, JOHN...."

I found it quite interesting because my father is Black, and I think he probably would have done the same as Mr. Tom Bee, saving John's life. My father says, "Everyone needs a helping hand". That is why I recommend this book for everyone who can read.

The Friendship
Keshia Garcia

The Friendship is about Mr. Tom Bee, John Wallace, Stacey, Christopher-John, Little Man, and Cassie. John Wallace is White and Mr. Tom Bee, Stacey, Christopher-John, Little Man, and Cassie are Black. John Wallace owns a store. John Wallace and Mr. Tom Bee started to be friends when they were young. Mr. Tom Bee saved John Wallace's life two times. That's when Mr. Tom Bee started to be friends with John Wallace. Mr. Tom Bee is older than John Wallace. Mr. Tom Bee always goes into John Wallace's store. Mr. Tom Bee goes fishing, and he gets sardines from John Wallace store.

One day Mr. Tom Bee went into the store and Mr. Tom Be asked John Wallace, "Let me have some of those sardines, John." John's friends were asking him "Are you going to let this Black man talk to you like this?" John Wallace shot Mr. Tom Bee in the leg and John Wallace said, "I'm tired of you, Tom, I told you, Tom, you can call me John; but not in front of my friends." Mr. Tom Bee told John Wallace, "You own me, John... John..." John Wallace knows why he owes him. Mr. Tom Bee said, "John, you owe me; you said you will owe me as long as you live. You promised, John."

I recommend this book to any person that will like to read, especially to the kids. This book is a good book; you should read it.

I read several of the Logan books to my 4th graders in Mississippi. It was a good learning tool for our history class. The students really enjoyed Taylor's series. It tells of the struggles of the Logan family druing the early years. The same characters appear all through the series, you really get to know them all. Great reading!

I did not realy like this book. It was an example of how whites treated blacks. It was kind of short and did not realy go into details to let you know the story. It just gave you enough to know what they were talking about. It would be best for ages about 8. It does not have bad language but it is not good for younger kids.

This book by Mildred Taylor was very good.I liked it a whole bunch.It was about 4 kids and Mr.Tom Bee.He was in The Well also.In this book he calls Mr.jJohn Wallace by his first name and isn't allowed to.Mr.Tom saved him when they were little kids and John promised that he could always call him by his first name.That promise doesn't last for long though.When Tom went to John's store he called him by his first name and got mad ,so when Mr.Tom was leaving he was shot by someone but who?

This book by Mildred Taylor was very good.I liked it a whole bunch.It was about 4 kids and Mr.Tom Bee.He was in The Well also.In this book he calls Mr.jJohn Wallace by his first name and isn't allowed to.Mr.Tom saved him when they were little kids and John promised that he could always call him by his first name.That promise doesn't last for long though.When Tom went to John's store he called him by his first name and got mad ,so when Mr.Tom was leaving he was shot by someone but who?

The Friendship is about four African-American kids and a White young man. This story is told by a young African-American girl, Cassie. She is telling us readers how Blacks were treated back then in the year 1933. This story takes place in Mississippi where Cassie, her brothers, and Jeremy live. Jeremy wanted to be friends with Cassie and her brothers. But Jeremy knew that he couldn't because his dad wouldn't let him. Also, Jeremy's dad didn't like Blacks.

John Wallace owned the Wallace store. Mr. Wallace had two older sons who helped him clean the store and take care of it. There is also a Black man named Mr. Tom Bee. When Mr. Wallace was little, he almost drowned in a swamp. But Mr. Tom Bee rescued Mr. Wallace. But when Mr. Tom Bee took him out of the swamp, John had a feaver, so Mr. Tom Bee decided to take care of him while he got better. When John got better he told Mr. Tom Bee that he could call him by his first name until Judgment Day. But one day John broke his promise to Mr. Tom Bee. Mr. Tom Bee went to the Wallace store and inside the store were six White men. Now Mr. Tom Bee was inside the store, and he asked Mr. Wallace to give him some tabacco, but Mr.Tom Bee called Mr. Wallace by his first name. All the men that were in there got furious because a Black man called a White man by his first name. So John got angry and told Mr. Tom Bee to not to call John by his first name. Then all of a sudden Cassie and her brothers heard a shot gun. They saw Mr. Tom Bee on the floor and was screaming John's name. Mr. Tom Bee told him that he promised to call him by his first name till Judgment Day, but he broke his promise.

I liked the story because it was interesting. I also liked that Jeremy wanted to be friends with Cassie and her brothers. I liked that Mr. Tom Bee called Mr. Wallace by his first name. It was sad when Mr. Wallace broke his promise to Mr. Tom Bee. Mr. Wallace told Mr. Tom Bee that he could call Mr. Wallace by his first name until Judgment Day. At the end of the story Mr. Tom Bee won. Mr. Tom Bee won because instead of Mr. Wallace shooting a second time at him, he didn't.