Mighty Inside
Levine Querido, 2021
“A well-constructed and movingly told story of a thoughtful Black boy making his place in his family and in 1950s America.”
“Set during the same time as the brutal murder of Emmett Till, this powerful novel weaves strong characters into the tapestry of civil rights, treatment of people with disabilities, fallout fear from the war, and ever-changing cultural shifts that defined the 1950s. An excellent middle grade purchase for any library.”
Melvin Robinson wants a strong, smooth, he-man voice that lets him say what he wants, when he wants—especially to his crush Millie Takazawa, and to Gary Ratliff, who constantly puts him down. The closer high school gets, however, the harder it’s becoming to hide his stutter.
Then Melvin meets Lenny, an outgoing, sax-playing, Italian-Jewish boy determined to be Melvin’s friend. Lenny lives above the town’s infamous (and segregated) Harlem Club. When they play music together, Melvin almost feels like he’s talking, no words required. But there are times when one needs to speak up.
Melvin’s growing awareness that racism is everywhere—not just in the South where a boy named Emmett Till has been brutally killed by two white men, but also in his own hometown of Spokane—is making him realize he can’t mutely stand by.
When his moment comes, can Melvin be as mighty on the outside as he actually is on the inside?
Inspired by my grandparents, who defied restrictive covenants and bought a home with the help of a white ally in a neighborhood where they were not at first welcomed but remained to raise their four children, this is my homage to the pioneering and resilient African-American community of Spokane—and by extension the Pacific Northwest—which I experienced growing up in Washington State.
My dad (oldest, center), aunt and uncles in 1955. Their memories of growing up in Spokane inspired many details in Mighty Inside.
My grandparents, William and Willabell Tucker, married in 1941. They moved into their new home on Empire Avenue the next day.
My grandma and her kids on her final day in her home. She lived there 50 years, in spite of neighbors’ attempts to have them removed in 1941.
“Every once in a while, the right book hits you at the right time and for me that book is Mighty Inside. This book is so real and personal that it felt almost autobiographical. Not for Sundee, but for me! There are so many occurrences and situations in the novel that I related to that it felt as if I’d written it. And that is one of the hallmarks of being in the hands of a very skilled author. Of course, the novel’s main strength is the way Ms. Frazier puts us in Melvin’s world. I dare the reader not to fall in love with Melvin . . . An emotionally touching, beautifully related novel that will resonate with readers young and old. It was one of those rare books I found myself reading more slowly as I got to the final pages. I didn’t want it to end.””
Newbery Award-winning author of
Bud, Not Buddy and The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963
Christopher Paul Curtis
“In Mighty Inside, Sundee Frazier once again flexes her masterful expertise in understanding the human heart, and the insurmountable will and capacity we have… to press forward and persevere triumphantly.”
Newbery Honor and two-time Kirkus Prize winning author of
Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut and I Am Every Good Thing
Derrick Barnes
“What a miracle. I loved every moment of it. Everything felt so nuanced and authentic… There were many moments where I thought to myself, wow, she nailed that too. It’s so finely observed.”
Nationally-recognized artist/musician/stutterer
Featured on This American Life
Jerome Ellis
“In this richly layered historical novel set in 1955 Spokane, Wash., . . .[y]oung and adult characters are well developed, tension builds slowly and expectantly to a satisfying climax, and the author’s familiarity with the landscape (per an author’s note) is evident in the solid, detailed sense of place. A well-constructed and movingly told story of a thoughtful Black boy making his place in his family and in 1950s America.”
“In this richly drawn work of historical fiction Frazier launches readers into social issues of the time . . . Melvin’s authentic narration reveals a teen who is finding his voice and using it to speak out against racism and discrimination. An author’s note reveals that Frazier drew many elements of this compelling story from her family’s own life.”
Michelle H. Martin, Beverly Cleary Professor for Children and Youth Services, UW Information School
“Frazier explores the depth of racism everywhere and the tight-knit community bonds necessary for surviving it. Infused with specificity . . . it deftly explores universal themes.”
““Frazier, author of the Cleo Edison Oliver books, switches gears and transports middle-grade readers to 1950s Spokane, delivering a unique slice of local Black history. . . Frazier authentically represents the experiences of the Robinsons and their community, with tight, warm relationships and realistic situations. Highly recommended!”
“Educators will certainly be able to encourage lively discussions with students who have read this book, making it an excellent choice for a whole class read. Librarians and teachers alike will want to add this to their collections. (Recommended, Grades 6-12). ”
“There were so many things going on in the 1950s, and yet, there is very little written about that time period. Fallout (as well as progress) after the war, racial tensions, and very different treatment of people with disabilities, not to mention huge cultural shifts in entertainment, clothing, and styles of living, make this a fascinating decade. Add to this Melvin’s rather unique experience (based on the author’s own family history) of being a Black student in an area where there are so few Blacks, and his struggles with his stutter, and this makes for a riveting story . . . I loved Frazier’s The Other Half of My Heart, Brendan Buckley, and Cleo Edison Oliver, but think that her real talent might well lie with historical fiction writing!”
Karen Yingling
MsYinglingReads.blogspot.com
@MsYingling
“A powerful story that will bring readers through the experience of beginning to understand racism, and what that really feels like, from the inside out. What a gift.”
Author of Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer
and Happily for Now
Kelly Jones