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Zora and Me
Winner of the 2011 John Steptoe New Talent (Author) Award! Racial duplicity threatens an idyllic African American community in the turn-of-the-century South in a dazzling debut inspired by the early life of Zora Neale Hurston.
Whether she’s telling the truth or stretching it, Zora Neale Hurston is a riveting storyteller. Her latest creation is a shape-shifting gator man who lurks in the marshes, waiting to steal human souls. But when boastful Sonny Wrapped loses a wrestling match with an elusive alligator named Ghost � and a man is found murdered by the railroad tracks soon after � young Zora’s tales of a mythical evil creature take on an ominous and far more complicated complexion, jeopardizing the peace and security of an entire town and forcing three children to come to terms with the dual-edged power of pretending. Zora’s best friend, Carrie, narrates this coming-of-age story set in the Eden-like town of Eatonville, Florida, where justice isn’t merely an exercise in retribution, but a testimony to the power of community, love, and pride. A fictionalization of the early years of a literary giant, this astonishing novel is the first project ever to be endorsed by the Zora Neale Hurston Trust that was not authored by Hurston herself.
Also
*an annotated bibliography of the works of Zora Neale Hurston
*a short biography of Zora Neale Hurston
*a timeline of Zora Neale Hurston’s life
"It is with sheer genius that Bond and Simon have created something for readers young and old--there are familiar references, like the ‘Brazzles,� for true Zora-philes, as well as revelatory and wondrous information for those readers as yet uninitiated in the masterful storytelling of Zora Neale Hurston. This is a grand and accessible work that educates, informs, and entertains, and one that I am personally grateful was written for all of us." � Lucy Anne Hurston, niece of Zora Neale Hurston
Whether she’s telling the truth or stretching it, Zora Neale Hurston is a riveting storyteller. Her latest creation is a shape-shifting gator man who lurks in the marshes, waiting to steal human souls. But when boastful Sonny Wrapped loses a wrestling match with an elusive alligator named Ghost � and a man is found murdered by the railroad tracks soon after � young Zora’s tales of a mythical evil creature take on an ominous and far more complicated complexion, jeopardizing the peace and security of an entire town and forcing three children to come to terms with the dual-edged power of pretending. Zora’s best friend, Carrie, narrates this coming-of-age story set in the Eden-like town of Eatonville, Florida, where justice isn’t merely an exercise in retribution, but a testimony to the power of community, love, and pride. A fictionalization of the early years of a literary giant, this astonishing novel is the first project ever to be endorsed by the Zora Neale Hurston Trust that was not authored by Hurston herself.
Also
*an annotated bibliography of the works of Zora Neale Hurston
*a short biography of Zora Neale Hurston
*a timeline of Zora Neale Hurston’s life
"It is with sheer genius that Bond and Simon have created something for readers young and old--there are familiar references, like the ‘Brazzles,� for true Zora-philes, as well as revelatory and wondrous information for those readers as yet uninitiated in the masterful storytelling of Zora Neale Hurston. This is a grand and accessible work that educates, informs, and entertains, and one that I am personally grateful was written for all of us." � Lucy Anne Hurston, niece of Zora Neale Hurston
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2010
94 people are currently reading
1,846 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Bond
6Ìýbooks50ÌýfollowersVictoria Bond is the coauthor, with T. R. Simon, of the John Steptoe New Talent Author Award winner Zora and Me. She holds an MFA in creative writing and is a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. Victoria Bond lives in New Jersey with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
February 13, 2011
People tend to denigrate adaptations, abridgements, those shortcuts to understanding that all of us use from time to time despite their reputations.
Admit it. As a student, you read the Cliff Notes, or more likely these days, the Wikipedia summary, of a required text rather than do your homework. Perhaps as an adult, you’ve refined the process. A few reviews, and you blithely pretend that you’ve read the book they’re talking about at the dinner party.
One of the joys of working with kids is that you get to read kids� books. They’re easily digestible, but you can still feel like you aren’t cheating. They’re real books. Many are just as much works of literature as anything the older crowd might consider paragons. Plus you can learn something.
Such is the case with ‘Zora and Me.� By reading a clever little mystery that could stand alone as just that—a clever little mystery—you’re exposed to a fascinating slice of history. Eatonville, Florida, was ‘the first incorporated all-black township in the United States.� That was in 1887. It was also the place where the family of Zora Neale Hurston, one of America’s most esteemed writers, moved in 1894, and where she grew up.
So you’re also introduced to Zora, or a fictionalized fourth grade version of Zora Neale Hurston. Besides appending their book with a timeline of her life and a bibliography, Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon also include a list of children’s books based on folktales that Hurston collected. So you can follow up, if you so desire.
But that’s not a requirement. Which brings me back to the clever little mystery.
Cassie has a friend, Zora, already known for her fascination with the tales adults tell, and her own story-telling abilities. When Old Lady Bronson is mysteriously injured at a pond called Blue Sink, Zora conflates the reality of a man-eating alligator and a reclusive old man to produce the story of a man who ‘can take on the face of a gator.� Or it seems that is what Zora is doing.
Then an event of greater import happens in Eatonville—murder. Cassie, Zora, and their friend Teddy set out to prove the gator man is guilty. And there is something to Zora’s theory. But the real shape-shifting, it turns out, has a more insidious source than ghostly gators.
The mystery is wrapped up in a wistful coming-of-age story told in wonderfully evocative language—a story where Zora’s father lights in on her with special vigor because, ‘Sometimes there’s nothing more aggravating than looking in a mirror.�
A story that takes place in a time before ‘the moving pictures and before the radio� when: ‘people were accustomed to silence; we even used to hug up on it once in a while. I never though of it as special then, that we could just sit and stare and luxuriate in the comfort of our own thoughts. Without time to think, we wouldn’t have had anything to talk about in the first place.�
See? You should read kids� books. Kids need adults, and other kids, who can tell them what’s good. ‘Zora and Me� is.
Recommended for fourth graders on up.
Admit it. As a student, you read the Cliff Notes, or more likely these days, the Wikipedia summary, of a required text rather than do your homework. Perhaps as an adult, you’ve refined the process. A few reviews, and you blithely pretend that you’ve read the book they’re talking about at the dinner party.
One of the joys of working with kids is that you get to read kids� books. They’re easily digestible, but you can still feel like you aren’t cheating. They’re real books. Many are just as much works of literature as anything the older crowd might consider paragons. Plus you can learn something.
Such is the case with ‘Zora and Me.� By reading a clever little mystery that could stand alone as just that—a clever little mystery—you’re exposed to a fascinating slice of history. Eatonville, Florida, was ‘the first incorporated all-black township in the United States.� That was in 1887. It was also the place where the family of Zora Neale Hurston, one of America’s most esteemed writers, moved in 1894, and where she grew up.
So you’re also introduced to Zora, or a fictionalized fourth grade version of Zora Neale Hurston. Besides appending their book with a timeline of her life and a bibliography, Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon also include a list of children’s books based on folktales that Hurston collected. So you can follow up, if you so desire.
But that’s not a requirement. Which brings me back to the clever little mystery.
Cassie has a friend, Zora, already known for her fascination with the tales adults tell, and her own story-telling abilities. When Old Lady Bronson is mysteriously injured at a pond called Blue Sink, Zora conflates the reality of a man-eating alligator and a reclusive old man to produce the story of a man who ‘can take on the face of a gator.� Or it seems that is what Zora is doing.
Then an event of greater import happens in Eatonville—murder. Cassie, Zora, and their friend Teddy set out to prove the gator man is guilty. And there is something to Zora’s theory. But the real shape-shifting, it turns out, has a more insidious source than ghostly gators.
The mystery is wrapped up in a wistful coming-of-age story told in wonderfully evocative language—a story where Zora’s father lights in on her with special vigor because, ‘Sometimes there’s nothing more aggravating than looking in a mirror.�
A story that takes place in a time before ‘the moving pictures and before the radio� when: ‘people were accustomed to silence; we even used to hug up on it once in a while. I never though of it as special then, that we could just sit and stare and luxuriate in the comfort of our own thoughts. Without time to think, we wouldn’t have had anything to talk about in the first place.�
See? You should read kids� books. Kids need adults, and other kids, who can tell them what’s good. ‘Zora and Me� is.
Recommended for fourth graders on up.
December 22, 2010
I fundamentally disagree with the impulse of so many authors/illustrators/publishers to "expose" children to famous authors/artists with these sorts of works. Zora Neale Hurston wrote some incredible things. These things were not meant for children. There's no reason to write a story based on a fictionalized account of her young life in hopes of attracting children to Hurston--it won't, and it shouldn't. Just write a good story for kids. This one was fine. A typical old-timey rural action-packed mystery/let's-learn-about-what's-really-important. Kids who read it aren't going to think to themselves, "This was so fantastic...gee, I'm gonna remember that Zora's character was based on a real person and in ten years, when I'm old enough to read Their Eyes Were Watching God, I'm totally going to."
Sorry to be such a grouch about this, but it drives me nutty. I just read a picture book called "Paris in the Spring with Picasso" which tries to entice kids with "Pardonnez-moi--excuse me--I'd like to invite you to a soiree tonight at Gertrude Stein's home."
Sorry to be such a grouch about this, but it drives me nutty. I just read a picture book called "Paris in the Spring with Picasso" which tries to entice kids with "Pardonnez-moi--excuse me--I'd like to invite you to a soiree tonight at Gertrude Stein's home."
March 15, 2015
This year I was honored along with the women in my book club to pass out books on World Book Night. This was my first time and I had a blast. There were several titles in the many boxes we received this year and Zora and Me was one of them. Since there were a few left I kept this copy for me.
The story is inspired by the childhood of the famous author Zora Neale Hurston in her hometown of Eatonville, Florida. Zora's best friend Carrie tells the tales of their adventures, stories and the towns people they meet along the way. Zora has the gift of story telling so much so that Carrie and the others believe every word of it. And so does Zora.
I have been reading chapters here and there of Wrapped in Rainbows, a thick biography about Zora Neale Hurston so I had a bit of knowledge of her before reading. This book is wonderful in the story telling aspect and it could have really taken place in Zora's life to some degree. The biography mentioned on several accounts her ability to come up with, create and tell wild and imaginative stories.
The only thing I have negative to say about this book is the violence. I am extremely pro non-violence in children books so when the headless body of a friend of theirs is found on the railroad tracks, I was shocked and not in a good way. I thought I was reading a kid's book. Why are we finding murder victims in the book? I understand how it fits in the story but... I don't know what to say. I was just shocked and I would have loved to not have that in the book at all.
There is another very small violent scene in the book between Zora and her father when he goes to slap her for "thinking she was White". I have read passages about Zora's father and his mean temper. This scene in the book fits his personality but why does it have to be in a Children's book. Why? He could have just stormed out of the room and left her sitting there at the table.
I think that is the only issues I have with the book and the only reason I took away one star.
Parents heads up. It's a good book but please be aware of the violence in the book.
The story is inspired by the childhood of the famous author Zora Neale Hurston in her hometown of Eatonville, Florida. Zora's best friend Carrie tells the tales of their adventures, stories and the towns people they meet along the way. Zora has the gift of story telling so much so that Carrie and the others believe every word of it. And so does Zora.
I have been reading chapters here and there of Wrapped in Rainbows, a thick biography about Zora Neale Hurston so I had a bit of knowledge of her before reading. This book is wonderful in the story telling aspect and it could have really taken place in Zora's life to some degree. The biography mentioned on several accounts her ability to come up with, create and tell wild and imaginative stories.
The only thing I have negative to say about this book is the violence. I am extremely pro non-violence in children books so when the headless body of a friend of theirs is found on the railroad tracks, I was shocked and not in a good way. I thought I was reading a kid's book. Why are we finding murder victims in the book? I understand how it fits in the story but... I don't know what to say. I was just shocked and I would have loved to not have that in the book at all.
There is another very small violent scene in the book between Zora and her father when he goes to slap her for "thinking she was White". I have read passages about Zora's father and his mean temper. This scene in the book fits his personality but why does it have to be in a Children's book. Why? He could have just stormed out of the room and left her sitting there at the table.
I think that is the only issues I have with the book and the only reason I took away one star.
Parents heads up. It's a good book but please be aware of the violence in the book.
November 6, 2019
I’ve been thinking a lot about this book since I finished. Mostly that it was sooo good, and I was thinking it may be one of my top books of the year, until halfway through when it derailed in all the ways possible.
Firstly, I think this book is suited more for adults than young readers. It tackles racism, of course, but then gets into themes like passing and lynching without all the necessary context for a young child to understand unless they already knew a lot about Black History.
I was disappointed by the story when Gold’s Tragic Mulatto Trope was introduced about halfway through the story. If you don’t understand why I’m annoyed, Google it. Also, around the same point in the book, there was the introduction of this old white man who helped birth Zora and thus was like her bff or something, even though he was clearly racist?? WTH? He literally said something along the lines of “When niggers kill niggers, the “good Blacks� get hurt.� HUH? No. Then it morphed heavily into some white savior mess when he bought her a book she desperately wanted. Nuh. Uh. Hard. Pass.
Lastly, I felt that the ending was SO abrupt. They had just somewhat solved the murder of Ivory then all of a sudden Carrie was happy and fine and not traumatized at all? I get that this is the start of a series so there has to be some sort of cliff-hanger, but the ending made no sense to me.
Anyway, ugh, the writing was actually so so beautiful and I enjoyed lil baby Zora Neale Hurston, but I wish the story had been from her POV rather than her friend, Carrie’s. Such a disappointing read.
Firstly, I think this book is suited more for adults than young readers. It tackles racism, of course, but then gets into themes like passing and lynching without all the necessary context for a young child to understand unless they already knew a lot about Black History.
I was disappointed by the story when Gold’s Tragic Mulatto Trope was introduced about halfway through the story. If you don’t understand why I’m annoyed, Google it. Also, around the same point in the book, there was the introduction of this old white man who helped birth Zora and thus was like her bff or something, even though he was clearly racist?? WTH? He literally said something along the lines of “When niggers kill niggers, the “good Blacks� get hurt.� HUH? No. Then it morphed heavily into some white savior mess when he bought her a book she desperately wanted. Nuh. Uh. Hard. Pass.
Lastly, I felt that the ending was SO abrupt. They had just somewhat solved the murder of Ivory then all of a sudden Carrie was happy and fine and not traumatized at all? I get that this is the start of a series so there has to be some sort of cliff-hanger, but the ending made no sense to me.
Anyway, ugh, the writing was actually so so beautiful and I enjoyed lil baby Zora Neale Hurston, but I wish the story had been from her POV rather than her friend, Carrie’s. Such a disappointing read.
June 30, 2011
I didn’t realize when I selected Zora and Me from the audio book shelf of my local library that I would be treated to a powerful, multiracial historical novel. But I was.
Under 200 pages long, this book is the result of collaboration between Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon. Their fictionalized account of Harlem renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston’s childhood, brings the reader into gator country, Eatonville, Florida, during the Jim Crow period.
Zora’s outspoken manner and boldness is seen through her best friend Carrie’s eyes. The two young girls get caught up into the myth and mysteries of the local “Gator King� (half-man, half-alligator) which they imagine to be ghostly white. In a line foreshadowing later conflict, Carrie observes, “If coloreds can be different colors, why can’t gators?�
When Ivory, an itinerant turpentine worker is murdered, Zora decides to apply her alligator-sleuthing abilities to solving the murder. The story gets more complicated when the girls meet Gold � a woman who is beautiful, stylish, and colored but “not like us.� Gold is engaged to a white man and the black community is horrified that she has turned her back on her people.
In a powerful scene, the girls come across Gold sitting in the forest by a fire, her clothes dirty and in disarray. By the firelight Gold “looks colored but like she’d been wiped down by chalk dust.� Zora confronts Gold on why she has chosen to pass. Here are snippets from this dialogue revealing Gold’s conflicts and motivation:
Zora asks, “Why would you want to be like white folks?�
Gold replies, “I get tired of being colored. I get tired of seeing everything the world has to offer and settling for a big bowl of nothing."
During the same scene, Gold relays a story from her own childhood. Her mother was much darker than she was. When the two would go shopping, Gold’s mother would pretend to be her nanny in order to purchase what she wanted. Gold remembers, “It’s like I was the skeleton key unlocking the other world just for my Mama.� In this conversation Gold tells the two friends, “You’re both lucky. You don’t have to make hard choices. You know exactly where you belong.�
This is a powerful story about hurt, fear, and prejudice and two young girls coming of age in a town that had previously sheltered them from the bigger scope of life’s conflicts. As Carrie realizes at the end, “The bad things in life don’t define misery—what you do with them does.�
This book would be an excellent supplement to a class in US history, or to be read during Black History month. Although the two main characters are both girls, Ivory’s plight and the overarching historical theme make this also an appealing book for middle school boys. Students and writers should both analyze the internal and external conflicts permeating Gold’s, Zora’s, and Carrie’s lives. There is much to learn from this well-written book.
Under 200 pages long, this book is the result of collaboration between Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon. Their fictionalized account of Harlem renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston’s childhood, brings the reader into gator country, Eatonville, Florida, during the Jim Crow period.
Zora’s outspoken manner and boldness is seen through her best friend Carrie’s eyes. The two young girls get caught up into the myth and mysteries of the local “Gator King� (half-man, half-alligator) which they imagine to be ghostly white. In a line foreshadowing later conflict, Carrie observes, “If coloreds can be different colors, why can’t gators?�
When Ivory, an itinerant turpentine worker is murdered, Zora decides to apply her alligator-sleuthing abilities to solving the murder. The story gets more complicated when the girls meet Gold � a woman who is beautiful, stylish, and colored but “not like us.� Gold is engaged to a white man and the black community is horrified that she has turned her back on her people.
In a powerful scene, the girls come across Gold sitting in the forest by a fire, her clothes dirty and in disarray. By the firelight Gold “looks colored but like she’d been wiped down by chalk dust.� Zora confronts Gold on why she has chosen to pass. Here are snippets from this dialogue revealing Gold’s conflicts and motivation:
Zora asks, “Why would you want to be like white folks?�
Gold replies, “I get tired of being colored. I get tired of seeing everything the world has to offer and settling for a big bowl of nothing."
During the same scene, Gold relays a story from her own childhood. Her mother was much darker than she was. When the two would go shopping, Gold’s mother would pretend to be her nanny in order to purchase what she wanted. Gold remembers, “It’s like I was the skeleton key unlocking the other world just for my Mama.� In this conversation Gold tells the two friends, “You’re both lucky. You don’t have to make hard choices. You know exactly where you belong.�
This is a powerful story about hurt, fear, and prejudice and two young girls coming of age in a town that had previously sheltered them from the bigger scope of life’s conflicts. As Carrie realizes at the end, “The bad things in life don’t define misery—what you do with them does.�
This book would be an excellent supplement to a class in US history, or to be read during Black History month. Although the two main characters are both girls, Ivory’s plight and the overarching historical theme make this also an appealing book for middle school boys. Students and writers should both analyze the internal and external conflicts permeating Gold’s, Zora’s, and Carrie’s lives. There is much to learn from this well-written book.
October 23, 2015
*3.5 Stars* Originally posted
Zora and Me is about Zora and her best friend Carrie. Carrie tells a story of one particular summer in Eatonville, that really shows you how children make up stories to make sense of the atrocities that happen around them. As Zora tells all the kids on the schoolyard how one of the town’s own turns into a gator, more sinister things are actually happening. Kids have the tendency to block things out, or make something up to make sense of something. Zora was a great storyteller, so it’s only fitting for there to be this scary tale about a man turning into a gator. Carrie, who is Zora’s BFF, believes her when no one else does. But, there were two men � white & black � who made Carrie and Zora see everything clearly. And the woman who was the catalyst of her brother’s death, sits with remorse because she’s ashamed of being black. Her pretending to pass as a white woman caused the white man she was seeing to kill. Simple as. I can’t say that Ivory would have lived out his life, working hard, and die of old age. No one of color was safe in those days, but Gold’s deception is what a lot of light skinned or mulatto’s did to get ahead in life. Selfish, but they did.
Memorable Quote: “Why would you want to be like white folks?�
“I get tired of being colored. I get tired of seeing everything the world has to offer and settling for a big bowl of nothing.�
I enjoyed reading this book, and it brought forth those emotions I tend to get when reading something powerful. Would Zora approve of this story if she were alive? I’d like to think yes, because she herself was a storyteller. This story is less than 200 pages, so it’s a quick read. If you like historical fiction, then you would enjoy this book. Recommended.
Zora and Me is about Zora and her best friend Carrie. Carrie tells a story of one particular summer in Eatonville, that really shows you how children make up stories to make sense of the atrocities that happen around them. As Zora tells all the kids on the schoolyard how one of the town’s own turns into a gator, more sinister things are actually happening. Kids have the tendency to block things out, or make something up to make sense of something. Zora was a great storyteller, so it’s only fitting for there to be this scary tale about a man turning into a gator. Carrie, who is Zora’s BFF, believes her when no one else does. But, there were two men � white & black � who made Carrie and Zora see everything clearly. And the woman who was the catalyst of her brother’s death, sits with remorse because she’s ashamed of being black. Her pretending to pass as a white woman caused the white man she was seeing to kill. Simple as. I can’t say that Ivory would have lived out his life, working hard, and die of old age. No one of color was safe in those days, but Gold’s deception is what a lot of light skinned or mulatto’s did to get ahead in life. Selfish, but they did.
Memorable Quote: “Why would you want to be like white folks?�
“I get tired of being colored. I get tired of seeing everything the world has to offer and settling for a big bowl of nothing.�
I enjoyed reading this book, and it brought forth those emotions I tend to get when reading something powerful. Would Zora approve of this story if she were alive? I’d like to think yes, because she herself was a storyteller. This story is less than 200 pages, so it’s a quick read. If you like historical fiction, then you would enjoy this book. Recommended.
November 20, 2012
Zora And Me by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon is a coming of age middle grade fictionalization of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood. Hurston is perhaps one of the most famous female writers to come out of the Harlem Renaissance.Alright, I am putting on my history teacher hat. The Harlem Renaissance was a time of great cultural achievement for Black culture. You've got Duke Ellington making awesome music, Langston Hughes dropping mad poetry, and Billie Holiday's crooning, not to mention the Apollo Theater, where all the cool cats hang out. I have read Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston's seminal work, and rather enjoyed it. However, as with most authors, I do not know a whole lot about Zora Neale Hurston's past. I don't know what she did prior to the Harlem Renaissance.
April 18, 2011
See complete Review at soimfifty.blogspot.com.
First Line: "It's funny how you can be in a story but not realize until the end that you were in one."
One Great Line: "We hopped and skipped like coal embers were grazing our toes right through our shoes" (76).
What I Thought: When I first read The Bluest Eye and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings , I realized I had heard a new voice, one that was absent from my white middle-class upbringing. I hungered to hear it again and went on to read more. What I love about Zora and Me is the fact that it brings this voice to a new generation. The authenticity of Zora's story as told through Carrie is amazing. Just read one of Hurston's short stories and then compare it. It isn't difficult to see how the Zora in Zora and Me could grow to be the author Zora Neale Hurston. There are vivid images reminiscent of Hurston's work. I am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.
First Line: "It's funny how you can be in a story but not realize until the end that you were in one."
One Great Line: "We hopped and skipped like coal embers were grazing our toes right through our shoes" (76).
What I Thought: When I first read The Bluest Eye and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings , I realized I had heard a new voice, one that was absent from my white middle-class upbringing. I hungered to hear it again and went on to read more. What I love about Zora and Me is the fact that it brings this voice to a new generation. The authenticity of Zora's story as told through Carrie is amazing. Just read one of Hurston's short stories and then compare it. It isn't difficult to see how the Zora in Zora and Me could grow to be the author Zora Neale Hurston. There are vivid images reminiscent of Hurston's work. I am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.
April 23, 2014
I like the cover, but the title leaves a lot to be desired.
The story is interesting enough, I guess, but the focus on a young Zora Neale Hurston didn't really work for me. The way it's set up makes it less Carrie's story than Zora's, and if the narrator is a true participant, she shouldn't feel like a supporting character in her own story.
The story is interesting enough, I guess, but the focus on a young Zora Neale Hurston didn't really work for me. The way it's set up makes it less Carrie's story than Zora's, and if the narrator is a true participant, she shouldn't feel like a supporting character in her own story.
October 21, 2010
Vibrant descriptions, folktales, and the turn-of-the-century South, set the stage for this fictionalized story based on Zora Neale Hurston's childhood. An honest portrayal of race relations in the post-Civil War era.
April 22, 2014
Acclaimed African American author (of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" fame) Zora Neale Hurston lived a full life, though she never reaped the financial reward of her prolific writing in her lifetime. In fact, she died penniless. Her neighbors took up a collection for her burial, but were forced to bury her in an unmarked grave when their pockets ran short of change. How do I know this, you might ask? It certainly wasn't taught to me in high school or college English courses. No, I learned about Hurston and her life in the back of a middle grade book.
Zora and Me is the tale of an imagined childhood friendship between Zora, Carrie and Teddy set in a small, all black Florida enclave during the turn-of-the-century. When a murder rocks the close knit community, Zora comes up with a whopper of a tale about how the unfortunate soul met his untimely demise. How he REALLY died and who was ultimately responsible for it will surprise even the most (ahem) mature reader. Joe Clark, the town's stalwart sheriff spoke more in this novel through the few words and deeds than most major characters do in a five hundred page tome. What a multi-dimensional minor character to direct kids' attentions to!
I liked how the authors (jointly written by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon) kept the reader on the edge of his/her seat, but I'm not sure I would be comfortable recommending Zora and Me to anyone younger than middle school. I wonder if the racial epitaphs and social stigmas so honestly depicted might prove too much for a younger reader, though I wouldn't hesitate to put it into the hands of my OWN sons. I do think it would make an interesting read for someone who wants to dovetail into the biography arena, mixing the two genres for an interesting research project.
*"Walking home later, I thought about the difference between a mama's girl and a daddy's girl. I decided that a daughter who belongs to her daddy expects gifts, while a daughter who belongs to her mama expects a lot more. Not from her mama. From herself."
*"I don't know how to explain that moment except to say that, before the moving pictures and before the radio, folks were accustomed to silence; we even used to hug on it once in a while. I never thought of it as special then, that we could just sit and stare and luxuriate in the comfort of our own thoughts Without time to think, we wouldn't have had anything to talk about in the first place."
*"The bad things that happen to you in life don't define misery-what you do with them does. When Mr. Pendir and Gold could have chosen connection, they chose solitude; when they could have brought loving themselves to loving someone else, they wore masks instead and shunned love's power. You can't hide from life's pain, and folks that love you would never expect you to."
*Giving don't got a thing to do with going bankrupt," Joe Clarke answered. "Holding back does."
Highly recommended, with age reservations.
Zora and Me is the tale of an imagined childhood friendship between Zora, Carrie and Teddy set in a small, all black Florida enclave during the turn-of-the-century. When a murder rocks the close knit community, Zora comes up with a whopper of a tale about how the unfortunate soul met his untimely demise. How he REALLY died and who was ultimately responsible for it will surprise even the most (ahem) mature reader. Joe Clark, the town's stalwart sheriff spoke more in this novel through the few words and deeds than most major characters do in a five hundred page tome. What a multi-dimensional minor character to direct kids' attentions to!
I liked how the authors (jointly written by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon) kept the reader on the edge of his/her seat, but I'm not sure I would be comfortable recommending Zora and Me to anyone younger than middle school. I wonder if the racial epitaphs and social stigmas so honestly depicted might prove too much for a younger reader, though I wouldn't hesitate to put it into the hands of my OWN sons. I do think it would make an interesting read for someone who wants to dovetail into the biography arena, mixing the two genres for an interesting research project.
*"Walking home later, I thought about the difference between a mama's girl and a daddy's girl. I decided that a daughter who belongs to her daddy expects gifts, while a daughter who belongs to her mama expects a lot more. Not from her mama. From herself."
*"I don't know how to explain that moment except to say that, before the moving pictures and before the radio, folks were accustomed to silence; we even used to hug on it once in a while. I never thought of it as special then, that we could just sit and stare and luxuriate in the comfort of our own thoughts Without time to think, we wouldn't have had anything to talk about in the first place."
*"The bad things that happen to you in life don't define misery-what you do with them does. When Mr. Pendir and Gold could have chosen connection, they chose solitude; when they could have brought loving themselves to loving someone else, they wore masks instead and shunned love's power. You can't hide from life's pain, and folks that love you would never expect you to."
*Giving don't got a thing to do with going bankrupt," Joe Clarke answered. "Holding back does."
Highly recommended, with age reservations.
October 5, 2020
Zora and Me is a fictionalization of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood in Eatonville, Florida. This was a surprise. The book was sold to me as a middle grade mystery so I expected something along the lines of Encyclopedia Brown. This isn't that. Zora isn't a child detective but she is an inquisitive kid, always listening to grown folks business when she can. Of course, the more she hears, the more questions she has. The mystery of the story is what happened to the man found dead and headless near the railroad tracks. Zora doesn't so much solve the mystery as just hang around and learn some stuff about the world beyond her relatively safe little life in Eatonville.
I really enjoyed this, though I'm not sure if I would actually give this to a middle schooler to read. For that matter, I'm not sure how I would have handled this book when I was a child. I expected a light read and this isn't exactly light. Aside from the headless body, characters talk about being worried that someone will end up swinging from a rope. Given the time period, that would have been a real concern but I don't know if I could have taken that as a child. So although I'm not sure I would have read this as a child or if I would give it to a child now, I am glad I got to read it as a adult. What the authors get so right is Zora's gift for storytelling. In the story Zora's around 11 years of age and she's already the the best storyteller in town. She even believes her own tall tales at times.
I really enjoyed this, though I'm not sure if I would actually give this to a middle schooler to read. For that matter, I'm not sure how I would have handled this book when I was a child. I expected a light read and this isn't exactly light. Aside from the headless body, characters talk about being worried that someone will end up swinging from a rope. Given the time period, that would have been a real concern but I don't know if I could have taken that as a child. So although I'm not sure I would have read this as a child or if I would give it to a child now, I am glad I got to read it as a adult. What the authors get so right is Zora's gift for storytelling. In the story Zora's around 11 years of age and she's already the the best storyteller in town. She even believes her own tall tales at times.
April 18, 2017
Outstanding! Based on the childhood of folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, it's a story about a sheltered girl (Zora) living in the mostly black town of Eatonville, Florida, who discovers one summer, to her dismay, that, in the world outside of her town, the color of your skin makes a difference, and that secrets can be dangerous. I loved everything about this story--the authentic dialogue, the setting, the childlike outlooks of Carrie and Zora, and their gradual awakening to the reality of the adult world around them. That summer marked the end of their innocence and the beginning of becoming adults for Carrie, Zora, and their friend Teddy. Bond's descriptions of Eatonville and the children's innocent pastimes made me wish I was there enjoying their fun. The book left me wanting not only to read more about Eatonville and Zora's life but also to read some of her writings, particularly her autobiography, Dust Tracks on a Road. This book won the 2011 John Steptoe Award (part of the Coretta Scott King Awards) for new talent, and Victoria Bond surely has that. I can't wait to read another book by her, and I highly recommend this one.
March 10, 2016
Zora and Me is the 2011 winner of the John Steptoe New Talent Award. The story is about of the narrator (Carrie) and her best friend Zora the story teller. The story begin with the murder of Sonny the young man who wanted to wrestle alligators and win. Unfortunately, he lost his life in his battle with Ghost the alligator. Zora and Carrie witnessed the horrible sight. Zora now begins to tell the story to anyone who will listen to her of how Sonny lost his battle with Ghost. The stories grow as they begin to believe that the alligator is actually half gator and half man. It is very interesting to see how the story builds around the plot. I listen to this story as Channie Waites narrated it. It was intriguing to listen to. I believed that I was actually in Eaton Florida. Readers will be drawn in as they learn about murders, story telling, and secret lives. All are intrigue as we follow the lives of the narrator (Carrie) and her best friend Zora. This is a great book for 4-7 grades.
February 9, 2012
I wanted to like this more than I did. It's an easy and interesting read.
March 1, 2020
Overall rating: 4 stars?
Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Style/writing: 4 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
October 6, 2011
"I thought about the difference between a mama's girl and a daddy's girl. I decided that a daughter who belongs to her daddy expects gifts, while a daughter who belongs to her mama expects a lot more. Not from her mama. From herself."
�Zora and Me, P. 69
Right off the top, there are a few things about this book that stir my curiosity. How much of the story is an authentic biographical portrait of the young Zora Neale Hurston? Was this intended to be pretty much an accurate account of a real series of episodes in her life, or was it only the characters that were real, while the narrative was mostly dreamed up by the authors? Or were even some of the characters made up, or even all of them, except for Zora herself? I would have been interested in reading an additional appendix to Zora and Me that spelled out the answers to some of these questions. Unresolved wonderings aside, though, I must say that this is an impressive book, engagingly written and overflowing with much real experiential wisdom. I heard a minor amount of Newbery buzz surrounding Zora and Me for the 2011 awards, and I have no trouble seeing why.
In turn of the century Florida, young Zora Neale Hurston and her friends Carrie (from whose first-person perspective the story is told) and Teddy are living in a town of modest means. Zora never fails to spice up her friends' lives with her imaginative storytelling, though; in fact, there's not a kid anywhere around who can resist the pull of her gripping tales, even among those who would prefer not to be under Zora's spell. When a gruesome murder is committed nearby and none of the adults have any solid leads as to who might have perpetrated the crime, Zora comes forward with her own perplexing explanation... and few people want to hear it. Zora and her two closest friends, Carrie and Teddy, resolve to find the solution to this case on their own, without the interference of grownups who refuse to believe what Zora has to tell them. The reason they won't believe is because what Zora claims to have seen is so bizarre and unexpected that no one would ever think that there could possibly be any truth to it, but that won't stop Carrie and Teddy, at least, from having faith in their best friend's story.
On their quest to bring a killer on the loose to justice and prove themselves to a town that looks on them as nothing more than helpless kids, Zora and her two accomplices will learn a lot about themselves, also, and what their connection to each other, their families and the town in which they live really means to them. Carrie and Teddy may not know for a fact that Zora is going to grow up to become a famous author, but the handwriting is already on the wall that she's bound to be off for somewhere big someday. She just has that kind of charisma about her, which is a big part of the reason why her tall tales are so irresistible to all of the other kids. Growing up to adulthood isn't an eternity away from happening for Zora and her friends, and they realize deep down that eventually they're going to lose their close friendship. Someday they're not going to be able to walk a short distance to see each other. There will be miles, maybe hundreds or even thousands of miles, separating them, and distance always changes things. Much of the poignancy to Zora and Me is rooted in the growing realization by the three friends that they don't have forever together as they are now; and since the ideal of Forever seems to be locked away in the heart of every man, woman and child who has ever lived, anything short of that mark will never be enough. It just won't be.
I definitely would give two and a half stars to this book if the option were available, but without that, I had to give a lot of careful thought to if I wanted to round my rating up or down. Ultimately, I chose to round up with Zora and Me, because it has such a strong finish and some very memorable philosophical quotes that are sure to stick in my head for a long while. Authors Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon have done a nice job with this story, and I absolutely see them as writers to watch for in future years when awards season rolls around. I'm glad that I decided to take a chance on two authors I'd never heard of before and read their debut novel, and I'll make a point of being aware of whatever their second book is when they release it.
"(B)efore the moving pictures and before the radio, folks were accustomed to silence; we even used to hug up on it once in a while. I never thought of it as special then, that we could just sit and stare and luxuriate in the comfort of our own thoughts. Without time to think, we wouldn't have had anything to talk about in the first place."
�Zora and Me, P. 155
�Zora and Me, P. 69
Right off the top, there are a few things about this book that stir my curiosity. How much of the story is an authentic biographical portrait of the young Zora Neale Hurston? Was this intended to be pretty much an accurate account of a real series of episodes in her life, or was it only the characters that were real, while the narrative was mostly dreamed up by the authors? Or were even some of the characters made up, or even all of them, except for Zora herself? I would have been interested in reading an additional appendix to Zora and Me that spelled out the answers to some of these questions. Unresolved wonderings aside, though, I must say that this is an impressive book, engagingly written and overflowing with much real experiential wisdom. I heard a minor amount of Newbery buzz surrounding Zora and Me for the 2011 awards, and I have no trouble seeing why.
In turn of the century Florida, young Zora Neale Hurston and her friends Carrie (from whose first-person perspective the story is told) and Teddy are living in a town of modest means. Zora never fails to spice up her friends' lives with her imaginative storytelling, though; in fact, there's not a kid anywhere around who can resist the pull of her gripping tales, even among those who would prefer not to be under Zora's spell. When a gruesome murder is committed nearby and none of the adults have any solid leads as to who might have perpetrated the crime, Zora comes forward with her own perplexing explanation... and few people want to hear it. Zora and her two closest friends, Carrie and Teddy, resolve to find the solution to this case on their own, without the interference of grownups who refuse to believe what Zora has to tell them. The reason they won't believe is because what Zora claims to have seen is so bizarre and unexpected that no one would ever think that there could possibly be any truth to it, but that won't stop Carrie and Teddy, at least, from having faith in their best friend's story.
On their quest to bring a killer on the loose to justice and prove themselves to a town that looks on them as nothing more than helpless kids, Zora and her two accomplices will learn a lot about themselves, also, and what their connection to each other, their families and the town in which they live really means to them. Carrie and Teddy may not know for a fact that Zora is going to grow up to become a famous author, but the handwriting is already on the wall that she's bound to be off for somewhere big someday. She just has that kind of charisma about her, which is a big part of the reason why her tall tales are so irresistible to all of the other kids. Growing up to adulthood isn't an eternity away from happening for Zora and her friends, and they realize deep down that eventually they're going to lose their close friendship. Someday they're not going to be able to walk a short distance to see each other. There will be miles, maybe hundreds or even thousands of miles, separating them, and distance always changes things. Much of the poignancy to Zora and Me is rooted in the growing realization by the three friends that they don't have forever together as they are now; and since the ideal of Forever seems to be locked away in the heart of every man, woman and child who has ever lived, anything short of that mark will never be enough. It just won't be.
I definitely would give two and a half stars to this book if the option were available, but without that, I had to give a lot of careful thought to if I wanted to round my rating up or down. Ultimately, I chose to round up with Zora and Me, because it has such a strong finish and some very memorable philosophical quotes that are sure to stick in my head for a long while. Authors Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon have done a nice job with this story, and I absolutely see them as writers to watch for in future years when awards season rolls around. I'm glad that I decided to take a chance on two authors I'd never heard of before and read their debut novel, and I'll make a point of being aware of whatever their second book is when they release it.
"(B)efore the moving pictures and before the radio, folks were accustomed to silence; we even used to hug up on it once in a while. I never thought of it as special then, that we could just sit and stare and luxuriate in the comfort of our own thoughts. Without time to think, we wouldn't have had anything to talk about in the first place."
�Zora and Me, P. 155
May 19, 2011
Drenched in sense of place and time, Zora and Me brings the Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston to life as a spunky ten year old, growing up in turn of the century (19th to 20th) Eatonville, Florida, the first incorporated all Black town that Hurston paints so well in her autobiography, Dust Tracks on a Road, and her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Told from the point of view of Zora's friend, Carrie, the novel is rich in language and full of all manner of characters. We encounter a gator wrestler, turpentine workers, Joe Clark the storekeeper and the storytelling idlers on his porch, the white man who delivered Zora as a baby, and the cliquey girls at school whose fathers are all professional men. Because Zora is always poking her nose into the affairs of grown-folks, there are also some rather adult concerns, as the town finds itself grappling with a murder, and Zora, Carrie, and their friend Teddy take on the task of trying to set a soul at rest.
As fantastical as some of the characters and events might seem, the authors have not made this stuff up, but have drawn heavily on Hurston's autobiography (although no one can exactly vouch for the truth in that). A central element of Zora and Me is Zora's storytelling-- or is it lying? And a central theme is distinguishing between lies and truth. That was also a theme in the real life of Hurston, who held lying contests to collect folktales, as part of her anthropological research while a student at Barnard, and whose lies about her age fooled both school admissions staff and biographers. Zora and Me includes a biography, a time line, and an annotated bibliography, for young readers who want to get the facts straight. My own fact checking with the biography of Hurston by Robert Hemenway that I'd read long ago, confirmed for me how thoroughly these authors did their homework.
The book's short length (167 pages), and intriguing cover portrait, place it squarely in the middle grades, belying the difficult decisions, profound ideas, and complex subjects with which the youngsters in the story must wrestle. There is much for readers to ponder here, if they're up for it. If not, they can simply enjoy the story. Midway through the book, there seemed to be so much going on, so many strands and threads to the story, that I wondered if the authors could actually pull it all together into a real plot, and then move that on to a real resolution. A character in the book tells Zora, "Only very special people can put real life puzzles with human pieces together." And in the end, that is the evalutation that I have to hand to Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon.
March 6, 2011
Zora Neale Hurston grew up in Eatonville, FL, "the first incorporated all-black township in the United States." In this fictional account of an incident in her childhood, Eatonville at first seems to be idyllic. Sure, the residents aren't very well off, but they're safe and free to be whoever they'd like. After a headless corpse is found by the railroad tracks, Zora and her friend Carrie's perspectives are changed forever.
This was a very fast read. Zora herself is a delight. She reminds me a bit of Anne Shirley in that she names everything around her and has her own mythology to explain the world. She's the leader of this little group of friends and she keeps friends Carrie and Teddy on their toes.
Zora and Carrie get a little too caught up in the events surrounding the murder at the train tracks. They've been on the edges of a lot of the events leading up to the event and curious Zora is trying her best to put all the pieces together. Seeing the world through their innocence, and seeing them just starting to lose that innocence, feels very real. They don't have the experience to really understand what they're seeing at first, but they gain that experience the hard way.
The novel becomes a good introduction to race relations in the US. I can't imagine that it would be an easy read for youngsters, but these kinds of books never are. Nevertheless, it is important that we know our history. The authors don't shy away from alluding to lynchings (note that I did write "alluding to"--nothing is spelled out) or using "the N word," so if your child isn't ready for that, it might be best to save this book for later.
All of that makes the book sound very heavy and depressing. It's mostly not. Zora and Carrie have to deal with some grown-up issues, but they also have fun playing and getting licorice and just being children.
This is a very well-done book that I enjoyed. I recommend it for anyone, but it would be an especially good conversation-starter for parents with children old enough to handle the subject.
This was a very fast read. Zora herself is a delight. She reminds me a bit of Anne Shirley in that she names everything around her and has her own mythology to explain the world. She's the leader of this little group of friends and she keeps friends Carrie and Teddy on their toes.
Zora and Carrie get a little too caught up in the events surrounding the murder at the train tracks. They've been on the edges of a lot of the events leading up to the event and curious Zora is trying her best to put all the pieces together. Seeing the world through their innocence, and seeing them just starting to lose that innocence, feels very real. They don't have the experience to really understand what they're seeing at first, but they gain that experience the hard way.
The novel becomes a good introduction to race relations in the US. I can't imagine that it would be an easy read for youngsters, but these kinds of books never are. Nevertheless, it is important that we know our history. The authors don't shy away from alluding to lynchings (note that I did write "alluding to"--nothing is spelled out) or using "the N word," so if your child isn't ready for that, it might be best to save this book for later.
All of that makes the book sound very heavy and depressing. It's mostly not. Zora and Carrie have to deal with some grown-up issues, but they also have fun playing and getting licorice and just being children.
This is a very well-done book that I enjoyed. I recommend it for anyone, but it would be an especially good conversation-starter for parents with children old enough to handle the subject.
April 14, 2011
"Victoria Bond’s & T.R. Simon’s Zora and Me is a fine introduction to Zora Neale Hurston and the world that birthed her. Told in a warm honey rhythm, the first person narrator Carrie looks back at a time in childhood spent with her best friend Zora. They were ten that year and trouble was stirring in Eatonville, not to mention their greater consciousness.
"The reader is lulled into the lives of Carrie, Zora, and Teddy with all the charm and wit Carrie can afford, and with the opening, tantalizing story of a gator attack. We wait for the murder that centers the mystery the three would set out to solve. And then we wait to solve it. Meanwhile, there is that landscape to mind.
"Zora and Me begins as if to seat the reader firmly into the setting. And the imagery is successful in transporting the reader into the landscape, both physical and cultural. I had been under the assumption that the story was to revolve around a murder mystery, but it is less plot driven than that. The landscape set about isn’t a mere backdrop. The story refuses to move away and make way for an “adventure story.� The title is more apt than the dust jacket I’d read. The reading soon reveals that it is the plot’s premise that is the backdrop to this character driven portraiture of Zora, “me,� and Eatonville, Florida 1901 (?). Needless to say, those interested in character-driven stories will not be disappointed.
"Those readers who are fans of Zora Neale Hurston will not be disappointed by Zora and Me either."
[...]
"I figured 170-pages and I could breeze through. It does read smoothly, though I couldn’t say evenly paced; like honey. And like honey, traces linger. I would like to say that Zora and Me is as uncomplicated as you make it, but it remarks on too many relevancies.
"Zora and Me is an ambitious novel. Besides illuminating the childhood of an important, influential author, it would honor said author by sharing her concerns."
L @ omphaloskepsis
"The reader is lulled into the lives of Carrie, Zora, and Teddy with all the charm and wit Carrie can afford, and with the opening, tantalizing story of a gator attack. We wait for the murder that centers the mystery the three would set out to solve. And then we wait to solve it. Meanwhile, there is that landscape to mind.
"Zora and Me begins as if to seat the reader firmly into the setting. And the imagery is successful in transporting the reader into the landscape, both physical and cultural. I had been under the assumption that the story was to revolve around a murder mystery, but it is less plot driven than that. The landscape set about isn’t a mere backdrop. The story refuses to move away and make way for an “adventure story.� The title is more apt than the dust jacket I’d read. The reading soon reveals that it is the plot’s premise that is the backdrop to this character driven portraiture of Zora, “me,� and Eatonville, Florida 1901 (?). Needless to say, those interested in character-driven stories will not be disappointed.
"Those readers who are fans of Zora Neale Hurston will not be disappointed by Zora and Me either."
[...]
"I figured 170-pages and I could breeze through. It does read smoothly, though I couldn’t say evenly paced; like honey. And like honey, traces linger. I would like to say that Zora and Me is as uncomplicated as you make it, but it remarks on too many relevancies.
"Zora and Me is an ambitious novel. Besides illuminating the childhood of an important, influential author, it would honor said author by sharing her concerns."
L @ omphaloskepsis
December 13, 2011
This book is a fictionalized story in the life of author Zora Neale Hurston. It is described on the dust jacket as being an "echo" of "literary giant" Hurston, best known for her novel . Zora is a child in the book, and one of the main characters, but she is not the narrator. The narrator is Zora’s fictional best friend, Carrie. The story and the characters are loosely chipped from Hurston’s own writings.
Zora and her best friend live in an all-black community in early twentieth century Florida. Zora is a storytelling genius, and is fascinated by folk tales of an old gator king. Real horrific events mix with the folk tales and Zora's storytelling to present a vivid story on the theme of personal identity. While it is a primarily a story of race identity, familial identity as well as friendship and community play a large role in the story as well.
I love the literary nature of the book—the way the fears and worries of the children are both represented in the folk tales and storytelling as elaborate exaggerations, and then simultaneously refuted and reinforced by the real life actions in the book.
However, my 4th and 5th grade students might have some difficulty with this book without guidance. Perhaps it is because I live in a small Midwestern town where gators are something seen at the zoo, but I am more inclined to think that it is because race identity, or any kind of personal identity, is really not a topic they have yet addressed. I believe this is probably true for students of any race in my school, with a possible exception for foreign-born students.
Zora and her best friend live in an all-black community in early twentieth century Florida. Zora is a storytelling genius, and is fascinated by folk tales of an old gator king. Real horrific events mix with the folk tales and Zora's storytelling to present a vivid story on the theme of personal identity. While it is a primarily a story of race identity, familial identity as well as friendship and community play a large role in the story as well.
I love the literary nature of the book—the way the fears and worries of the children are both represented in the folk tales and storytelling as elaborate exaggerations, and then simultaneously refuted and reinforced by the real life actions in the book.
However, my 4th and 5th grade students might have some difficulty with this book without guidance. Perhaps it is because I live in a small Midwestern town where gators are something seen at the zoo, but I am more inclined to think that it is because race identity, or any kind of personal identity, is really not a topic they have yet addressed. I believe this is probably true for students of any race in my school, with a possible exception for foreign-born students.
September 6, 2018
The Zora & Me series, which includes book one, Zora & Me, and book two, The Cursed Ground, is a fictionalized account of the childhood of famous writer Zora Neale Hurston during the turn of the 20th century. Each book in the series is narrated by Carrie Brown, best friend to fictionalized Zora, and takes place in the very real Eatonville, Florida, the first all African-American established and inhabited town in the USA (where the real Zora lived).
Both Zora & Me books offer readers complex mysteries with immense impacts on their characters and history. In book one, Zora & Me, Carrie and Zora find themselves wrapped up in a murder mystery that may or may not involve an alligator man. While in book two, The Cursed Ground, Carrie and Zora uncover a mystery that stretches back to the horrific times of slavery, and the story switches back and forth from Carrie’s POV in their present to the POV of an enslaved girl named Lucia.
This series shines a light on an often overlooked and dismissed era and community, bringing the joys, obstacles, and daily lives of African Americans during this time period (and throughout history) to life, and celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of this community and people. With an authentic and unwavering voice, these stories offer captivating and exciting mysteries, while deftly exploring themes of racism, poverty, slavery, family, friendship, and community. Young Zora is a dazzling, delightful, and larger than life character, with a beautiful imagination.
With wonderful storytelling, rich history, and engaging characters, this series is sure to inspire, move, and entertain young readers.
Both Zora & Me books offer readers complex mysteries with immense impacts on their characters and history. In book one, Zora & Me, Carrie and Zora find themselves wrapped up in a murder mystery that may or may not involve an alligator man. While in book two, The Cursed Ground, Carrie and Zora uncover a mystery that stretches back to the horrific times of slavery, and the story switches back and forth from Carrie’s POV in their present to the POV of an enslaved girl named Lucia.
This series shines a light on an often overlooked and dismissed era and community, bringing the joys, obstacles, and daily lives of African Americans during this time period (and throughout history) to life, and celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of this community and people. With an authentic and unwavering voice, these stories offer captivating and exciting mysteries, while deftly exploring themes of racism, poverty, slavery, family, friendship, and community. Young Zora is a dazzling, delightful, and larger than life character, with a beautiful imagination.
With wonderful storytelling, rich history, and engaging characters, this series is sure to inspire, move, and entertain young readers.
November 7, 2016
This book was the only project not written by Zora Neale Hurston endorsed by her trust. It's a tale told by Zora's best friend, Carrie, about the power of story and how it shapes our reality. It's beautifully written, and manages to touch on deep and powerful ideas and themes in a way that doesn't shy away from their true, serious nature, but communicates it in a way appropriate to the children probably reading this book. The language, most of all, made me feel good. It's the good kind of Southern talk that I like to hear. I even remembered a song my mom used to sing to me while reading this book: "Shortenin' Bread". I think the thing I liked best about this book, though, was the not one but two female black protagonists. This book was simply bursting with positive, black female role models. I've been compiling a list of and reading books with black protagonists, but I had felt like most of them had had male protagonists. It's nice to see some female protagonists, especially ones as excellent as Carrie and Zora. Lastly, all the women built each other up. They did not tear each other down. I am tired of women competing and so that was nice to me. All in all, I'd definitely recommend this book. It had magic and meaning and I really, really liked it.
July 6, 2012
Won the John Steptoe award. A Kansas WAW selection for 2012-13.
I enjoyed the book but other than the anme and living in the same town I saw no connections to the famous author Zora Neale Hurston, which I had never heard of before, but read about at the end of the book in a skeleton biography by the author.
A short book about two black girls in the late 1890's or turn of the century who in their fourth grade school year are witness to a death and several strange events. In their attempt to make sense of things the girls make up stories to make the events work out in their minds. Along the way they learn about themselves and the world in which they live.
Lots of references to how life is different for whites and blacks. This would be something to explain and work on, at least with my student population. The concept of "passing" is a story element and would need explaining.
I am really not too sure that kids will enjoy this on their own without some background knowledge, discussion, and explanation.
I enjoyed the book but other than the anme and living in the same town I saw no connections to the famous author Zora Neale Hurston, which I had never heard of before, but read about at the end of the book in a skeleton biography by the author.
A short book about two black girls in the late 1890's or turn of the century who in their fourth grade school year are witness to a death and several strange events. In their attempt to make sense of things the girls make up stories to make the events work out in their minds. Along the way they learn about themselves and the world in which they live.
Lots of references to how life is different for whites and blacks. This would be something to explain and work on, at least with my student population. The concept of "passing" is a story element and would need explaining.
I am really not too sure that kids will enjoy this on their own without some background knowledge, discussion, and explanation.
March 4, 2011
Told from the perspective of Carrie, a fictional friend of the young, future author Zora Neale Hurston, this historical mystery finds the two friends involved in a brutal murder, a supposed half-man/half-crocodile creature, and a black woman who's been "passing" as white. It has wide-appeal for those looking for a dark mystery or historical fiction, especially around Black History Month. The fictional portrayal of young Zora is an intriguing one as she's very internal. She's intelligent but has an otherworldly perspective on her surroundings.
Contains a brief biography of Ms. Hurston, a timeline, and an annotated bibliography.
Oddly and troubling is that it doesn't contain an author's note that would separate fact from fiction. What parts of the story were true and which were embellished or completely made up? The book's intention is to introduce young readers to Ms. Hurston but will they be confused or disappointed to learn she wasn't Zora Neale Hurston, Girl Detective?
Contains a brief biography of Ms. Hurston, a timeline, and an annotated bibliography.
Oddly and troubling is that it doesn't contain an author's note that would separate fact from fiction. What parts of the story were true and which were embellished or completely made up? The book's intention is to introduce young readers to Ms. Hurston but will they be confused or disappointed to learn she wasn't Zora Neale Hurston, Girl Detective?
April 4, 2012
I liked this book and my son said he liked it, too. I read it aloud to him, and I felt he was just barely mature enough for it at age nine.
The two parts that were worrisome to me:
First, the book is about a murder in which a man is decapitated. A little gruesome for a kid's book.
Second, the book uses the "N" word. I felt really strange to read it out loud.
ETA: I was thinking more about it and I don't really like the feeling that Gold was blamed, in a way, for her brother's death. I felt she was in the very difficult position of being a black person who passed for white. It is not her fault that she lived in a society where she had to pick sides. I still felt it was a very good book, just a little preachy at the end.
The two parts that were worrisome to me:
First, the book is about a murder in which a man is decapitated. A little gruesome for a kid's book.
Second, the book uses the "N" word. I felt really strange to read it out loud.
ETA: I was thinking more about it and I don't really like the feeling that Gold was blamed, in a way, for her brother's death. I felt she was in the very difficult position of being a black person who passed for white. It is not her fault that she lived in a society where she had to pick sides. I still felt it was a very good book, just a little preachy at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2014
Excellent and awesome book that base on the life of author Zora Neale Hurston, the story fictionalizes events surrounding Zora in the all-black community of Eatonville, FL, during her fourth-grade year, about 1900. The story, narrated by Zora’s best friend, Carrie, enables the reader to feel the power of Zora’s storytelling abilities. Zora and her friends learn that truth is sometimes stranger and more complicated than imagination. Mysteries and thought-provoking situations infuse the story with action as well as biography. This debut novel, endorsed by the Hurston Estate, introduces a new generation to the life of an important literary figure.
March 22, 2014
I loved this book..it's perfectly pitched for its target audience. I will be handing it out to students a middle school on World Book Night. I hope they find it as I interesting and as much fun as I did. The secondary aim of the book, in my opinion, is to introduce students to Zora Neale Hurston. The main purpose is to teach them something about history while they read an absorbing story with relatable characters.
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July 29, 2010No one who's reviewed this book here has mentioned the race issues that are honestly and historically accurately portrayed (including the language of race) in this book. Okay for elementary students? Several said it would be a good read aloud. Really? How much back work would you need to do?
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June 29, 2012Audience: Upper Elementary 5th-6th grade up through middle school
Appeal: Great for African American students to learn about their history. Great novel to tie into history when learning about segregation and the Jim Crow Laws.
Award: Corretta Scott John King Award
Appeal: Great for African American students to learn about their history. Great novel to tie into history when learning about segregation and the Jim Crow Laws.
Award: Corretta Scott John King Award
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