The Rock and the River

It's 1968 in Chicago and times are a'changin. Two brothers are faced with making choices as they decide how they are going to respond to and be a part of the Civil Rights movement. They know things need to change but what is the "right" way to be involved? Their father, Roland Childs, has led the way as a Civil Rights activist. He chooses the non-violent approach to change. Now, thirteen-year-old Sam is looking at his older brother, Stick, and watching him go a different way. In fact, Sam has just found a gun in his room that Stick must have stashed there. The way of the Black Panthers is calling to Stick. Racism is all around them and the urgent need to stop the injustice and the abuse is driving them all to rise up. Now, it is up to Sam and Stick to decide which path they will choose? Will they be the rock or the river? From our vantage point in history we watch this family bump and turn as they find their way and make their decisions. We witness the powerful emotions that fuel them and the complexity of their reactions. 290 pages Ages 14 and Up