From the Publisher
Gabriel King was a born chicken. He's afraid of spiders, corpses, loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. Gabe's best friend, Frita Wilson, thinks Gabe needs some liberating from his fears. Frita knows something about being brave— she's the only black kid in school in a town with an active Ku Klux Klan. Together Gabe and Frita are going to spend the summer of 1976 facing down the fears on Gabe's list. But it turns out that Frita has her own list, and while she's helping Gabe confront his fears, she's avoiding the thing that scares her the most.
Kirkus Reviews
Strong voice, lively dialogue, humor and important themes make this a winner.
Publishers Weekly
Using shades of a southern drawl, Keefe effortlessly slips into the character of Gabriel King, a boy who's fearful of just about everything, especially fifth grade (and the older bullies who await him)-exactly where he's headed after the summer of 1976. Luckily, Gabe's spunky best friend, Frita Wilson, understands his situation and is determined to use the school break to help Gabe overcome his fears. But even though she doesn't seem a whit fearful, Frita, who's black, has big concerns of her own, including facing the prejudice against her in a town where the Ku Klux Klan is alive and well. Keefe captures the brisk pace of Going's story, and all the right notes of genuine childlike emotion, whether it's apprehension, disillusionment or the warmth of friendship. Issues of racism, tolerance, courage and what it really means to be a friend are skillfully woven into the tale, as is some historic background (such as mention of then-Governor Jimmy Carter). Ages 10-up. (July) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Joan Kindig, Ph.D.
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Children's Literature
Gabriel has decided that he will not move up to 5th grade with his best friend, Frita, because doing so will put him on the same wing as Duke Evans, the 6th grade bully. Frita decides to spend her summer making Gabriel brave and has him compile a list of all of the things he is afraid of. Together they tackle the seemingly endless list of fears but Gabriel shows no emerging signs of courage. When Frita is accosted by Duke's father and is threatened with a Ku Klux Klan visit (she is African-American), fear takes on a whole different look. This quiet novel of real bravery holds a nice message for children: real courage is not about conquering a fear of spiders but in standing up for what you know to be right. Going's story of a strong, supportive friendship between two children from very different backgrounds that grows in ways they never knew to be possible is refreshing in its backdrop of ordinary life. It is ordinary people, after all, that affect some of the greatest changes of all. 2005, Putnam, Ages 9 to 12.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-7-In 1976 during a languid Georgia summer, fourth grade best friends, fearful Gabe, who is white, and strong-willed Frita, who is African American, set out to face their individual fears together in this novel by K. L. Going (Putnam, 2005). Gabe is afraid of moving up to the fifth grade where he will be one of the smallest children and easily preyed upon by the bullies. The novel confronts racism, the bonds of friendship, and the importance of family. Robert Keefe narrates with a dry, humorous, yet upbeat tone, making for a relaxing ambiance reflecting the setting of a summer's day. However, he doesn't create distinctive voices for the characters, adding only a very subtle southern lilt for Frita and her family. This audiobook doesn't enhance the print version, but does offer a variation for those who prefer to hear a good story.-Tina Hudak, St. Albans School for Boys, Washington, DC Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
It's the summer of 1976 in a small town in Georgia. Gabriel King has just finished fourth grade and is scared about fifth. In fact, he's scared of many things: spiders, alligators, falling into the toilet, killer robots, corpses, swinging off the rope swing, his neighbor Mr. Evans and bullies at school. His best friend Frita is out to liberate Gabriel from his fears. She has him make a list of them and work through them one at a time. However, Frita, who is African-American, has fears of her own and the story becomes a study of standing up to fears and to bullies, from the schoolyard to the Ku Klux Klan. Strong voice, lively dialogue, humor and important themes make this a winner. Readers will enjoy following the sometimes-tempestuous friendship of Gabriel and Frita, and they'll be completely absorbed in watching the friends and their community come together to stand up against the evil within. (appendix) (Fiction. 10+)
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