Susan Marcus Bends the Rules

April 1, 2014
The summer before fifth grade brings changes for a Bronx girl. Susan and her parents are leaving the Bronx for Clayton, Mo. It's the middle of World War II, and Susan's father, not in the armed forces, has changed jobs. She worries about being a Yankees fan in St. Louis Cardinals territory and leaving close friends and family behind, but she hasn't counted on the troubling difference in accents and relations with adults from North to South. She makes two new friends very quickly; one has an annoying little sister, and one is a "Negro kid." Playing with the two of them leads to bigger thoughts. Perhaps they should integrate the pool. No, Jim Crow laws are too strong, she is told. Well then, thinks Susan, they "could ride on the bus together, and we would not be breaking any law." Although public transportation here is integrated, they raise plenty of eyebrows and turn many heads. Part of this civil disobedience involves eating in a Chinese restaurant that has been vandalized with anti-Japanese slogans. Cutler writes her story with her focus squarely on issues. There is insufficient motivation for Susan to have this level of social conscience, and actions take precedence over character development. In addition, her family is nominally Jewish, so there are some requisite but gratuitous-feeling anti-Semitic remarks. World War II, segregation and prejudice in a book that feels decades old in its approach. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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April 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-In 1943, the summer before she begins fifth grade, Susan Marcus's family moves from New York City to St. Louis. At first, the avid Yankee fan is apprehensive about relocating to Cardinals country and being able to understand the accents of her new neighbors. She is also surprised to find that in Missouri her family won't need to put up blackout curtains or volunteer for the air-raid watch. Susan encounters prejudice toward Jews, Japanese, African Americans, and even New Yorkers for the first time. Disgusted with Jim Crow laws that keep her from being able to go to the swimming pool or movie theater with her African American friend Loretta, Susan cooks up a plan to push the limits of the laws. The novel splendidly captures the place and time, from the heat and humidity (and lack of air conditioning), to childhood pastimes like roller skating, playing jacks, and drinking Kool Aid. Facts about the era are smoothly integrated into the story. However, due to the lengthy descriptions, the plot is slow to get moving, and most of the action takes place in the latter half of the novel. Although the author uses the terminology of the time to describe race (Japanese are referred to as Japs, Africans Americans as colored), the story is a gentler read than Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Dial, 1976). Children will cheer for Susan's courage in defying the injustice in her world.-Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
Grades 3-5 When Susan's father loses his job during WWII, she and her parents move from the Bronx to Clayton, Missouri. Leaving her best pal, Marv, and their favorite team, the Yankees, and finding herself in Cardinals territory is hard. Still, Susan quickly befriends Marlene and also Loretta, a Negro kid who informs Susan that she talks funny. That summer, while Susan works on her Missouri accent, she also finds a way to rebel against Jim Crow rules. As events unfold, she observes prejudice against Jews and Asians as well as African Americans. It's unusual to find a chapter book for younger readers that takes on the painful history of racial segregation and discrimination. By using Susan as the narrator, Cutler lets readers see life under Jim Crow through multiple perspectives: Susan sees basic injustice, while Loretta understands the situation more fully. Rebelling against discrimination is only part of this appealing story, but it's the most memorable part. An enjoyable chapter book with great potential for discussion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
In this well-intentioned novel set in 1943, fifth grader Susan adjusts to her family's move from New York City to Clayton, Missouri. Her exposure to Jim Crow laws is eye-opening and leads to a growing awareness of civil rights issues. Cutler muddies the story with an excessive number of historical details, however, and Susan's use of "Negro" dialect is awkwardly conveyed.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)