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gileslibrarian6's review against another edition
4.0
A story of two girls- one white and one black- following the Freedom Riders in the midst of the Civil Rights movement where questions arise of what is considered right and wrong in a world full of segregation.
gigimcallister's review against another edition
5.0
A very powerful story of what it might have been like during this tumultuous time in our history. Great for upper elementary and middle school.
jennifrencham's review against another edition
4.0
Kidd, Ronald. Night on Fire. Albert Whitman & Company, 2015.
Billie, a tomboy growing up in small-town Alabama, doesn't think she's racist. She just wants things to stay the way they've always been, since everyone's comfortable being "with their own kind." But Billie's eyes are soon opened to the ugliness in prejudice as she sees the hateful way her neighbors treat the Freedom Riders, and she begins to understand that standing by and doing nothing is the same as agreeing with the haters.
This was an interesting book in that it told one of the stories of integration from the perspective of a white child. It reminded me of [b:Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry|310459|Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #4)|Mildred D. Taylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388345167s/310459.jpg|1165554] with the way the main character was beginning to learn the implications of the "separate but equal" ideas. I appreciated the way the main character realized what was wrong in her thinking, and with the naivete of childhood, set about fixing it, even if it meant endangering herself.
Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags: lots of racially motivated violence - people beating other people (or inanimate objects like buses and doors) with chains and baseball bats
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: [b:Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry|310459|Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #4)|Mildred D. Taylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388345167s/310459.jpg|1165554], [b:Stella by Starlight|22546133|Stella by Starlight|Sharon M. Draper|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420938354s/22546133.jpg|42002485], [b:Lies We Tell Ourselves|20579291|Lies We Tell Ourselves|Robin Talley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396886699s/20579291.jpg|21561215]
Billie, a tomboy growing up in small-town Alabama, doesn't think she's racist. She just wants things to stay the way they've always been, since everyone's comfortable being "with their own kind." But Billie's eyes are soon opened to the ugliness in prejudice as she sees the hateful way her neighbors treat the Freedom Riders, and she begins to understand that standing by and doing nothing is the same as agreeing with the haters.
This was an interesting book in that it told one of the stories of integration from the perspective of a white child. It reminded me of [b:Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry|310459|Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #4)|Mildred D. Taylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388345167s/310459.jpg|1165554] with the way the main character was beginning to learn the implications of the "separate but equal" ideas. I appreciated the way the main character realized what was wrong in her thinking, and with the naivete of childhood, set about fixing it, even if it meant endangering herself.
Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags: lots of racially motivated violence - people beating other people (or inanimate objects like buses and doors) with chains and baseball bats
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: [b:Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry|310459|Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Logans, #4)|Mildred D. Taylor|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388345167s/310459.jpg|1165554], [b:Stella by Starlight|22546133|Stella by Starlight|Sharon M. Draper|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1420938354s/22546133.jpg|42002485], [b:Lies We Tell Ourselves|20579291|Lies We Tell Ourselves|Robin Talley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396886699s/20579291.jpg|21561215]
lifeofafemalebibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Night on Fire is a historical fiction novel that takes readers back to the Civil Rights Movement. Instead of the viewpoint from a revolutionary activist we get to see the world from a young teenager’s eyes. Billie, our main protagonist, doesn’t fully understand racism, but as she experiences small incidents in her everyday life she is starting to see the prejudice against African-Americans. She realizes its wrong, and sees the hate behind people’s actions, but doesn’t know what to do.
After a huge violent outburst in her hometown Billie really starts to question segregation and feels that everyone deserves equal rights. And in doing so she transitions from a naive to a confident person who wants to join the fight for justice and equality.
This novel gives younger readers a somewhat in-depth look at what the Freedom Riders achieved during this era as well as showing why it was so significant to the Civil Rights Movement. I also think it would make good teaching material in a classroom and will encourage readers to do more research on the entire movement.
The book also does a great job of highlighting the events from time period and condensing it in a roughly 300 page space that manages to keep the plot flowing smoothly. While it was based on actual events I felt like I was reading a story rather a history book. This novel keeps the reader engaged while also teaching them about the Civil Rights Movement at the same time.
After a huge violent outburst in her hometown Billie really starts to question segregation and feels that everyone deserves equal rights. And in doing so she transitions from a naive to a confident person who wants to join the fight for justice and equality.
This novel gives younger readers a somewhat in-depth look at what the Freedom Riders achieved during this era as well as showing why it was so significant to the Civil Rights Movement. I also think it would make good teaching material in a classroom and will encourage readers to do more research on the entire movement.
The book also does a great job of highlighting the events from time period and condensing it in a roughly 300 page space that manages to keep the plot flowing smoothly. While it was based on actual events I felt like I was reading a story rather a history book. This novel keeps the reader engaged while also teaching them about the Civil Rights Movement at the same time.
linneamo's review against another edition
4.0
no "Lions of Little Rock" but still a good historical civil rights book for middle graders. I think it was a little too preachy at some points.
**This is also no fault of the author but I'd really like to read at least ONE civil rights/middle grade/ historical fiction with female friendships told from the African American girl's point of view. It seems like it's these kind of books are always told from the white girl's point of view and it goes on and on telling how conflicted and brave she is. She can choose to join the conflict...meanwhile black little girls on the other side town don't have a choice. I want more books written from that POV**
**This is also no fault of the author but I'd really like to read at least ONE civil rights/middle grade/ historical fiction with female friendships told from the African American girl's point of view. It seems like it's these kind of books are always told from the white girl's point of view and it goes on and on telling how conflicted and brave she is. She can choose to join the conflict...meanwhile black little girls on the other side town don't have a choice. I want more books written from that POV**
ajay913's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
leenduff's review against another edition
5.0
Quick, engaging read on Freedom Riders! Love the mix of fact & fiction to bring the story to life!!
kelleycailin's review against another edition
challenging
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
brandypainter's review against another edition
1.0
The writing in this book is fine. Probably 3 stars for that. The characters are fairly flat and the overall tone didactic, but it's not terrible. I'm just burnt out on all of these books written about the Civil Rights movement from the point of view of white girls whose eyes are opened to the atrocities of segregation by a black friend. There are multiple issues I have with this continued narrative, the biggest one being that it centers a white hero at the center of a black struggle and reduces the ones being suppressed to sidekicks in their own history. I would laugh at the irony of it didn't make me cry. Reading the author's note at the end, I was annoyed even more. Kidd watched a documentary about this and in the face of all that courage and suffering from black people zeroed in on one white girl whose story was the most important to tell from that. What the heck? And then he didn't even stick to historical fact when it came to her. I just can't with that.