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Description
Jessilyn Lassiter never knew that hatred could lurk in the human heart until the summer of 1932 when she turned 13. When her best friend, Gemma, loses her parents in a tragic fire, Jessilyn's father vows to care for her as one of his own, despite the fact that Gemma is black and prejudice is... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis
Cast of Characters/Important People
- Jessilyn Lassiter: 13-years-old, feisty and determined. She tells the story of one terrifying summer when her family becomes a target of the Ku Klux Klan.
- Gemma Teague: 15-years-old and tragically orphaned. She is Jessilyn's best friend despite the fact that she's black and Jessilyn is white - an unacceptable relationship in Depression-era small-town Virginia.
- Luke Talley: 19-years-old and Jessilyn's first love even though he's out of her reach... for now!
- Harley and Sadie Lassiter: Jessilyn's parents who are shunned by friends and neighbors after taking Gemma in as their own.
- Miss Cleta: Jessilyn's elderly neighbor who encourages her with wise words and a spunky disposition.
- Walt Blevins: Local Klansman who makes it his mission to harrass Jessilyn.
Memorable Quotes
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“'That light is bright enough to light up a little speck of the night sky so a man can see it a ways away. That's what God expects us to do. We're to be lights in the dark, cold days that are this world. Like fireflies in December.'”
Harley Lassiter
First Sentence
"The summer I turned thirteen, I thought I killed a man."
Table of Contents
Series
This book is in the Calloway Summers series.
Authors & Contributors
- Jennifer Erin Valent (Author)
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