Leon’s Story By: Leon Walter Tillage

Leon’s Story

By: Leon Walter Tillage

Collage art by: Susan L. Roth

Farrar Straus Giroux; New York

Copy right: 1997

            Leon was an African American boy born in the thirty’s.  While slavery was abolished by that time its affect was still evident.  Leon’s father and father before him work on a white man’s farm “working” his own section.  Whatever profit they made after paying expenses was his to keep.  Yet, in all the years his father or grandfather had never received any profit money.  They were content in how they lived, didn’t want to rock the boat.  Leon on the other hand was weary of how they were treat and learned to fight back as he grew older.  He suffered as a young boy growing up. He was beaten by white children, talked down to by adults and taught to keep quiet.

            This book was written in such a simplistic way that it would be very easy for a third grader to read.  While the story is shocking in parts it would give students an actual picture of what life was like for kids their age in the 1930’s.  I found a text to text connection between this book and “the Watsons go to Birmingham”.  While they happened in different times, both of the main characters were African American boys who faced a harsh reality.  The text to self connection I felt was one that I think most people can relate to in that we all have some diversity that we must stand up and fight against.