The Sittin' Up

Narrator JD Jackson's deep, resonant voice tells the story of 11-year-old Bean and the summer of 1940 in North Carolina when a beloved 100-year-old former slave, Mr. Bro. Wiley, dies. Listeners are given in-depth detail about African-American traditions of caring for the dead and the sorrowful reactions of the townspeople who loved Mr. Bro. deeply. With his smooth narration, vivid character depictions, and beautiful singing voice, Jackson enhances a plot that youngsters may find slow paced and a little morbid. He brings out the sorrowful emotions of the history of slavery as well as the deep spirituality and pride of the characters, along with their hope and joy as times begin to change for the better. M.M.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

April 28, 2014
In 1940, the death of Mr. Bro Wiley strikes a nerve with the community of Low Meadows. Wiley was the last person in town who had been born a slave. Though seen through the eyes of Bean Jones—the youngest member of the family that took in Wiley after his wife’s death—the story shows the different ways Wiley’s death impacts the community. Jackson narrates in an unhurried manner that taps into the mood and motion of the book. He also creates a wide range of voices for the characters that are appropriate and capture the dialect of the community without exaggeration. Ages 10–up. A Putnam hardcover.