Change begins with a whisper: The Help

The Help (2009)

Stockett, Kathryn

Historical Fiction

Rating: 5/5

Warnings: some language and racism

This is a book about Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960's. It is about civil rights. Aibileen is a African American maid who raises white kids. She is working for Mrs. Leefolt. She meets Skeeter, Mrs. Leefolt's friend, who is an up and coming writer. She starts helping Skeeter with some writing for the newspaper. Situations lead them to write about how wrong it is, that black people are treated like they are less than white people. Especially in the work force. To be able to get the book they decide to write published, they need more stories. Aibileen and her friend Minny Jackson struggle to find other maids who will speak up, because what they are doing is against the law. A traggic event leads to other maids wanting to help. Skeeter ends up going to work as an author in NYC. Aibileen and Minny gain the courage that they have needed all along.

A major theme in this book is taking action. As the people of Jackson start treating blacks so badly Aibileen, Skeeter, and Minny decide they aren't going to sit back and watch anymore. They are going to take action, and be the change.

There were times when the author took a serious tone, but other times were meant for a good laugh. Each chapter has one of three narrators, Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter are the narrators. They tell the story from their point of view.

The Help is intended for older girls or women, especially house wives/homemakers.

I would recommend this book to older girls or women, because it is a good book, even people who don't enjoy reading, could have a good time reading this book. Much of this book is like reading a"chick- flick."

"Graceful and real, a compulsively readable story." - Entertainment Weekly

"Powerful...[Stockett's] attention to historical detail, dialect, and characterization creates a beautiful portrait of a fragmenting world."-- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"You can't stop reading until you've devoured the last word. Its characters jump off the page and into your heart... [Stockett's] pitch-perfect depiction of a country's gradual path toward integration will pull readers into a compelling story that doubles as a portrait of a country struggling with racial issues." -USA Today