Carrimebac, the Town That Walked
In 1876, the Black villagers of Walkerton, Georgia, have a miserable life. Whites in the region refuse to buy crops or handicrafts produced by freed slaves. That all changes the day Rootilla Redgums and her grandson, Julius, arrive. Rootilla, older than Georgia’s red dirt, teaches the villagers how to make rugs that never wear down, and jugs that never run out of whatever people put in them. The villagers prosper. Julius befriends a special duck that escapes out of every cooking pot folks put him in.
Over time, the surrounding whites get scared of Rootilla’s magic and even accuse Julius of having stolen his duck. One night many whites appear at the village in hooded robes and carrying burning torches to set everything on fire. Can Rootilla’s magic or Julius’s special duck help now?
Targeting children aged six to nine, this story will resonate with readers of all ages. Its depiction of post-Civil-War brutal racism is understated, hence suitable for children, but still chilling and honest. The full-page illustrations are striking and detailed. Readers can truly “see” Rootilla and Julius. Highly recommended.
