Nine-year-old Cassie Logan's experiences of racism are a daily reality. Walking to school with her brothers, she is splashed by a bus filled with white children. In the classroom of their black-only school, their outdated, torn textbooks are hand-me-downs from the white school. And then there are the frightening, muted grown-up discussions of recent lynchings.

​​​​​​​As Cassie grows up, the desire to rebel against these cruelties awakens within her even as she discovers the terrible price people in her community pay when they try to fight back. When the children create a booby trap for the white bus, they set off a series of escalating events that endanger not just the Logan family farm but the lives of those in their community as well.
​​​​​​​
Based on the author's experiences growing up, this extraordinary book makes a terrible period come alive for children with an inspiring message about one family's pride, resourcefulness, and strength.