Gr 4-7-"Stepped through that door white and softly as the snow," notes sixth-grader Frannie, on the arrival of a pale, long-haired boy to her predominantly black middle school on a winter day in 1971. He is dubbed the Jesus Boy by the class rowdy, and the name seems to suit the newcomer's appearance and calm demeanor. Frannie is confused, not only by declarations that he's NOT white, but that her friend Samantha, daughter of a conservative Baptist minister, also seems to believe that he is Jesus. In light of this and other surprises in her life, Frannie questions her own faith and, most of all, the meaning of the Emily Dickinson poem that she is studying in class, "Hope is a thing with feathers/that perches in the soul/-." How does she maintain hope when her newly pregnant mother has lost three babies already? She also worries about her deaf older brother, Sean, who longs to be accepted in the hearing world. She sees the anger in the bully intensify as he targets Jesus Boy. With her usual talent for creating characters who confront, reflect, and grow into their own persons, Woodson creates in Frannie a strong protagonist who thinks for herself and recognizes the value and meaning of family. The story ends with hope and thoughtfulness while speaking to those adolescents who struggle with race, faith, and prejudice. They will appreciate its wisdom and positive connections.-D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information. The fresh and funny retelling of a tale set in Chelm, Poland, explains how the residents come to be both wise and foolish and what happens when the town bathhouse burns down. Loosely drawn illustrations underline the gentle humor of the dilemma and the unique solution. "There?s a lot going on in this small, fast-moving novel that introduces big issues?faith, class, color, prejudice, family, disability, and friendship. Woodson tells her story with immediacy and realism through the stirring first-person narrative of a young girl, Frannie, growing up in 1971. The new boy in school is the only white kid in Frannie?s sixth-grade class, and she wonders why he doesn?t go to the white school across the highway. He?s pleased when some of the kids call him Jesus Boy, and Frannie?s devout friend, Samantha, thinks he may be the savior. A few of the boys harass him, especially bullying Trevor?who looks white himself. When the new kid turns out to be far from perfect, Frannie wonders: Was he God?s child? Aren?t we all? In her loving home, filled with light, hope, and laughter, a deaf older brother has always enriched her life, but Frannie realizes that she still has bridges of prejudice to cross. A good choice for discussion."