Mildred D. Taylor's stories about the Logans, an African-American family living in Mississippi during the Great Depression, began in the 1975 novella Song of the Trees. The sequel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry followed in 1976 and won the 1977 Newbery Medal. Let the Circle Be Unbroken (1981), The Road to Memphis (1990) and a prequel, The Land (2001), concluded the Logan family saga.
Song of the Trees came from the manuscript Taylor submitted to a 1974 writing contest hosted by the Council on Interracial Books. Her submission won the African-American segment of the contest, and readers of all ages have since been enriched by young Cassie Logan's accounts of her family's struggles. In the spirit of that original contest, Penguin Young Readers and We Need Diverse Books are holding a debut children's fiction (ages 8-14) contest for ethnically diverse writers. The submission period begins in April, with more information to come on this website.
In addition to the contest, Penguin published a 40th anniversary edition of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry ($18.99, 9781101993880) with new cover art by Kadir Nelson, two-time winner of the Caldecott Honor Award, on January 5. Taylor's tale of racism and poverty remains more than a history lesson for young readers, but a portrait of conditions still sadly prevalent today. --Tobias Mutter
