Kizzy Ann Stamps

Title: Kizzy Ann Stamps

 

Author: Jeri Watts

 

Summary: Kizzy Ann is a smart and courageous girl growing up in 1963. Kizzy Ann's life is changed when she finds out that the schools in her town will now be integrated rather than segregated. Kizzy Ann is worried about going to the "white school" - she is not white and she has a long scar down her face that makes her fear what the other children at the new school will think of her.

Starting the new school is somewhat easy, however she does get trouble from a lot of the "white kids." Her brother is having a very hard time at his new high school and Kizzy Ann worries that the experience is changing him.

As she starts the new school, she finds a friend in an older man who helps Kizzy Ann train her dog, a border collie, Shag, so that they compete together in dog trials. However, it doesn't seem easy at first - Kizzy Ann isn't so sure that they will let her enter because of the color of her skin.

 

 

Comments: I loved this book! I wasn't really sure about reading it at first, but I am SO glad that I did. Kizzy Ann is so likeable and Shag is too. The book is told through letters to Kizzy Ann's new teacher at her new integrated school (the teacher is very nice). The whole book wrapped up nicely in the end - but not too nice to be unbelievable.

This book did deal with the integrated/segregated problem going on back in those days, so I'd say that the reader would have to already have a clear understanding of that before reading the book, because it does not really go into the background details of segregated/integrated like The Lions of Little Rock does. There is also some content that is more suitable for 10+.

 

Complaint: NONE!

 

Rating: 5 stars and beyond....