Name: The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA
ISBN: 9781524737092

Brenda Woods

Gabriel, twelve, gains new perspective when he becomes friends with Meriwether, a Black World War II hero who has recently returned to the unwelcoming Jim Crow South.

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA

Liz Griffin

I received an advanced uncorrected galley of The Unsung Hero of Birdsong USA in my December Scribbler box. This middle-grade novel takes place in the aftermath of World War II in Birdsong, near Charleston, South Carolina, and explores racial conflicts and the disparity in the reception white veterans and black veterans receive, all told through the lens of twelve-year-old Gabriel, a white boy who befriends a black veteran, Meriwether Hunter.

First, a small disclaimer that I received no sponsorship or other incentive to review or rate this book. Furthermore, I hardly ever read anything middle grade (MG) or historical fiction, so I am probably the closest thing to a blind audience as this book could ask for. I know nothing of the comps or if the length or subject matter are typical among recently published MG books, so I am judging this book solely on its own merit without any comparisons.

The narrator's voice is cute and endearing for the most part, little concern in his life except for impatience in getting his bicycle back -- grounded after a near-accident on his birthday -- and his enjoyment of late-night detective shows. Gabriel encounters Meriwether Hunter when the latter saves him from getting run over on his bicycle, and Gabriel helps Meriwether find work at his father's car shop and gas station.

This book contains lovely portrayals of cross-denominational and cross-racial friendships -- Gabriel's closest friend, Patrick, is a Catholic, while Gabriel is Methodist. It also presents insightful yet audience-appropriate examples of how systemic racism can affect attitudes and behaviors without conscious thought. For example, Patrick calls adult black men "uncle" and black women "auntie", rather than addressing them as "Mr." or "Mrs.", as Gabriel does. Patrick does so not out of intentional disrespect, but simply because of the behavior he has adopted and learned from his own parents. Fans of The Help might find this novel a great way to approach these topics with their middle grade children.

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA

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