The day he buried his pa, Nobe Chase lost everything—his father, his home, and his dog, Rex. Worst of all, he had to move into town to live with Sheriff Leonard—dog killer, wife stealer, and secret law-breaker of all sorts.
That day, Nobe found a new purpose for his life—revenge. Hate takes over his life, burning out of control inside him. Nobe learns how dangerous hate can be when it is unleashed in a fury of fire and gunpowder during a race riot in nearby Tulsa. When the violence spills over into his hometown, Nobe must decide what kind of man he is going to become—one driven by vengeance or one driven by courage.
Based on true events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during May of 1921, Anna Myers has produced a powerful novel about a young man who must wrestle with his past and find the strength to pull free from the poisonous grip of hatred and abuse. Anna Myers lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Tulsa Burning is set. She is the award-winning author of several novels for young readers, including Stolen by the Sea and Flying Blind. CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade BookNew York Public Library's Books for the Teen AgeKansas State Reading Circle, Masterlist, Top TenPennsylvania School Librarians Association Young Adult Top Forty ListMissouri Reading CircleMark Twain Award, Masterlist The day he buried his pa, Nobe Chase lost everything—his father, his home, and his dog, Rex. Worst of all, he had to move into town to live with Sheriff Leonard—dog killer, wife stealer, and secret law breaker of all sorts. From that day on, hate takes over Nobe's life, burning inside him out of control. He learns how dangerous hate can be when it is unleashed in a fury of fire and gunpowder during a race riot in nearby Tulsa. When the violence spills over into his hometown of Wekiwa, Nobe must decide what kind of man he is going to become—one driven by vengeance or one driven by courage.
Based on true events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during May of 1921, Anna Myers has produced a novel about a young man who must wrestle with his past and find the strength to pull free from the poisonous drip of hatred and abuse. "In Wekiwa, OK, in May 1921, Nobe Chase, 15, struggles valiantly to live up to his name. His abusive father has died, and since the teen and his mother can't run their farm alone, she accepts a job as a live-in aide to the sheriff's ailing wife. On moving day, the unsavory, bigoted man exhibits his own violent tendencies when he shoots Nobe's dog. Isaac Mitchell and his mother, who are African American, support Nobe as he grapples with his new circumstances. He takes a job as a dishwasher at the local cafe, where he meets Lester Cotton, a fiercely anti-white cook who is Mrs. Mitchell's estranged husband. When the town preacher comes back from Tulsa reporting horrifying race riots in which Isaac has been hurt, Nobe borrows the man's truck and enlists Lester's help, and the unlikely duo rescues a battered Isaac from a city in flames. A love interest, a wise and wily sheriff's wife, and an airplane ride flesh out this gripping novel . . . The plot develops with a lively, captivating pace that is sure to engage all but the most reluctant readers. Based on real events, this absorbing book is excellent for group discussions."—School Library Journal
"When abusive, good-for-nothing Pa was alive, 15-year-old Nobe was 'just something to hit'—certainly not someone who would be allowed to pursue an education, let alone his friendship with the 'coloreds' down the road. Far from being liberated by his father's death, however, he and his mother must still struggle when they move in with the corrupt, racist town sheriff and his ailing wife because 'banks don't put no stock in half-growed boys and worn-out women.' Nobe's coming-of-age story—complete with 'impure thoughts' about childhood friend Cinda, his raw hatred for the sheriff, and conflicted feelings about his late father—is set in rural Oklahoma in 1921, around the time that an actual race riot occurred in Tulsa. In this emotional page-turner, Myers expertly captures an era of poisonous racism while conveying the strong, true voice of a courageous young man who puts himself on the line twice for his black friend Isaac and gradually discovers the difference between fighting for justice and plain vengeance. Compassion and hope prevail in a powerful novel."—Booklist (starred review)
