The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

Sam lives in Chicago in 1968, during a time when the civil rights movement is in full force. His father is a peaceful activist leader and friends with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. When Sam's older brother becomes interested in the Black Panthers, a civil rights organization that is not always peaceful, he is kicked out of the house. After learning more about the Black Panthers, Sam is torn between what his father has always taught him and what his brother is doing. When events turn deadly, Sam must decide for himself what actions to take. The Rock and the River

is a very powerful civil rights book and is appropriate for students in grades five and up. It is on the 2012 Rebecca Caudill list.