Fireflies in December

I love books that teach me something about humanity. This book is definitely one of these books. I really loved that Jennifer Erin Valent showed that during the period after the Civil War to the establishment of equal rights for all men, that there were good white people in the South who disagreed with the Jim Crow Laws and the KKK. I will admit to two things: one, I am not African-American and two, I can never understand the oppression and hardships that African-Americans face. That said, I also cannot be blamed for said oppression and hardships. Maybe it is that I live in the South, but just as all black people are not the same, neither are all white people. And this book demonstrates this perfectly.

Title: Fireflies in December

Author: Jennifer Erin Valent

Length: 352

Genre: Fiction, Historical

How long will it take to read: 4-5 days.

Fireflies in December takes place in Virginia in 1932. So not only is the nation dealing with racism and segregation, but it is also dealing with the Great Depression. Jessilyn Lassiter, who is the narrator, and her family own a farm and the Teague family work as farm hands. The Teagues have a daughter, Gemma, who is a close friend of Jessilyn. When Gemma's family is tragically killed, the Lassiters, a white family, take Gemma in as one of their own.

The Lassiters are immediately austercized. Jessie goes from a 13-year-old who is idealistic to a 13-year-old who realizes that the world is not all sunshine and roses. She is exposed to the horrific acts of the Klu Klux Klan and the disgusting ways that human beings can treat each other. But she also sees the beauty in others, Luke Talley, Mrs Cleta, and her parents. She learns that there are people out there who will sacrifice all to help others.

This is an excellent read.

Favorite Character: Mrs. Cleta. I love Mrs. Cleta because she has the gumption as an old woman to stand up to those people she disagrees with. I love when she takes Gemma and Jessie into a restaurant and raises a big stink because they won't serve Gemma. Awesome.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Published by Tyndale House Publishers 2008