This is a vividly detailed, fictionalized retelling of author Zora Neale Hurston’s childhood. Interweaving fact and fiction, the author skillfully illustrates the reality of the historical time with fully realized fictional characters. The mystery that Zora and her friend Carrie pursue is well told and keeps focus where it needs to be in the action. There isn’t any wandering from event to event; it’s precise and fast paced, yet detailed enough to paint elaborate pictures for readers who enjoy that aspect of a story. In short, it has something that every reader should like. This book would make an excellent companion piece to “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” especially as together they cover a good 20+ years of history. Proper for middle grades and above, if only to be able to fully grasp the long-term effects of slavery. Thank you to NetGalley, Candlewick Press, and the author for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading book number one of the Zora and Me series earlier this summer. It was incredibly satisfying, so I was eagerly anticipating book #2: The Cursed Ground. And it did NOT let me down! The sequel is another fictional adventure in the life of a young Zora Neale Hurston. This one, however, has alternating narratives going between 1855 and 1903. In the beginning, we meet back up with Zora, Carrie, and eventually Teddy. But now they face a brand new mystery as Mr. Polk has been badly wounded. When they find him, he speaks for the first time (he has always been a mute, to their knowledge), but they do not understand him.

In 1903, we learn that the town of Eatonville is in trouble with a gang of white men from the next town over. To understand WHY this is a real threat to Eatonville, we must have a firm grasp on what took place back in 1855 when slavery was the norm. Therefore, the story flows back and forth and the two different time period narratives provide a deep, rich story that slowly builds in suspense until the stories collide. All the missing gaps are filled and the truth clicks into place.

OH MY GOODNESS I loved the second book even more than the first one. The writing and language were beautiful — I sincerely didn’t want to put it down. I might as well admit it: I cried. While there are sweet and giggly parts to this series, there are some deeply moving scenes that hit me right where it counts. I really, really, really hope this series continues because the stories and characters are so well-crafted and the history is important and powerful. Don’t just take my word for it, it has already received starred reviews from both Kirkus and The Horn Book. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for access to an e-ARC of this book.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is a powerful middle grade novel that combines history, fiction, and fantasy. Told through the eyes of Carrie Brown, a young girl who is best friend to Zora Neale Hurston and who stays with Zora's family after her father dies and her mother has to go away to work for a short time. One night, the girls are woken up by the sound of horses outside their window. When the girls sneak out to discover why the horses would have run away from their home and owner, they discover that their neighbor Mr. Polk has been gravely injured. This is just the beginning of the girls' dangerous adventure to discover why someone would hurt Mr. Polk and how dangerous their world truly is. Alternating between two time periods and two narratives, we learn the tragic history of America's first all black township.
T.R. Simon provides an unflinching view of post-Civil War Florida and how deeply the effects of slavery shape individuals. Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is an incredible story of hope, community, and strength,.
Thank you to Candlewick and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The premise of "Zora and Me" unites many of the things I love so much about middle grade fiction. First of all, the fictionalized story mirrors events that were certainly commonplace for that time in history. The setting, circumstances, and racial tension within the community felt tangible and real; fear, love, loyalty, and hate leap off the pages and into the reader's heart.

Secondly, a real person, Zora Neale Hurston, is brought to life outside the pages of her own writing. The author, T.R. Simon, gives her audience a glimpse into the events and relationships that helped shaped Hurston into the woman and writer she eventually came to be. Young readers get the opportunity to meet her and get to know her before they will ever pick up her books and stories for themselves.

Third, "Zora and Me" features real kids facing difficult situations. Carrie and Zora's curiosity is often rewarded with opportunities for discovery and expands their views of a complicated world. Their loyalty, friendships, and characters are tested in the face of danger but courage (usually) reigns supreme.

Overall, "Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground" is a compelling fictional account of a dangerous period in our country's history. I appreciated Simon's ability to humbly guide her readers into a space where they could observe the lasting legacy of slavery and its impact on collective memory. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages!

What better way to pique the interest of a young reader than by cursing a character? In Zora and Me the Cursed Ground, that is exactly what happens. Switching between the 1800s and 1904, this novel holds elements of mystery, tragedy, and redemption. Zora and her best friend, Carrie, are always seeking adventure and they find themselves in the midst of a scandal between their town and the white men. Though freedom reigns in the country, they quickly learn that this doesn’t mean their community will be treated as it deserves. When they learn of a voodoo curse that happened a century before, the girls make a plan to keep the land with it’s proper owners. Will the righteous prevail?

This is a story based on the influential author Zora Neale Hurston. T R Simon does an impeccable job highlighting the true spunk and curiosity Zora possessed as a child. In the story, Zora and her friend show true heroism, making this a novel young readers will surely gravitate towards. The history of Haitian voodooism as well as slavery is intertwined in such s way that children will better understand history because of pure enjoyment. Though written for middle grades, the plot development and twists make this an appealing read for all ages.

There are two kinds of memory. One is the ordinary kind, rooted in things that happened, people you knew, and places you went.... The second type of memory is rooted in the things you live with, the land you live on, the history of where you belong.

How on earth are we ever gonna suck the marrow out of life if we just sit by and let questions stroll down our street without inviting them in for a glass of lemonade?

This is the story that alternates between the 19th and 20th centuries; first, it is the story of Carrie Brown and Zora Neale Hurston, both age 12 in 1903, the girls are awakened one night to the sound of horses running through Zora's yard. They soon discover a neighbor in need and wounded, although the town conjure woman or "witch" shakes them off, the girls feel there are a lot of secrets that they are grown up enough to know. It is also when they begin to realize that their home, Eatonville, the first incorporated town for coloreds has a history that existed long before they were born.

Slavery happened to folks who lived in the past and somewhere else; our Eatonville was a place where Negroes lived outside of the will of white folks, and we only ever saw ourselves as a bright future.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is also the story of Lucia, an orphan girl that follows her master to Saint Augustine, Florida in 1855 and eventually to a farm called Westin. Once a companion to the master's daughter, it is quickly told to Lucia her real place is amongst the slaves. As readers, we follow Lucia from her time in Westin and all that she endures while longing for freedom.

The past is living in each one of us. Trying to push it down below remembering just makes it find another way through.

I found both stories to be equally captivating and it's the reason that I was late getting supper on the table. As an adult reader, I had an inkling of how exactly these stories were going to converge with one another, but that doesn't diminish how compelling a story Zora and Me quickly became. I felt that the story was appropriate for the middle grades and that there would certainly be plenty of discussion generated from the novel. In addition to the story, there is a thorough biography of Zora Neale Hurston, herseld, a member of the Harlem resistance movement and a novelist( Their Eyes Were Watching God & three others). There is also included in the book a a timeline of Hurston's life and acknowledgements from the author.

I didn’t realize this was the second in a series. It was a little annoying not having read the first, but mostly didn’t seem to be a problem. It sounds like the first one is more of a mystery, so it’s part of the famous writers solving crimes as children subgenre, which is an interesting but odd trend! I don’t know that it adds anything for actual kids who aren’t old enough to read the writer’s work.

The writing is pretty good, but too much philosophizing (particularly that prologue!).

I like that she shows the connections between the slavery era and the Jim Crow era, because I tend to think of different historical eras as being completely self-contained. So pointing out who’s still alive from previous eras and how it all interconnects is always helpful. It’s kind of a lot to keep track of with two first person narrators in two different eras though. The past story shows some of the brutalities of slavery, which I think makes this upper MG, probably best in school or other setting with extra support. It’s tough to handle such dramatic things in first person—it sometimes veers into melodrama.

In the “present” (Jim Crow era), it’s not really the main characters’ story. They just eavesdrop on things happening amongst the adults. I wish they’d had a more active role. They encounter ghosts at one point, so I thought they were then going to start investigating and find out about the past themselves, but that never happened, which is too bad.

The Curse Ground is the second novel in the Zora and Me series. The first book, Zora and Me written by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon, won the 2011 John Steptoe New Talent Award. Both books are fictionalized childhood tales of the life of Zora Neale Hurston, an influential African-American author and a celebrated anthropologist who wrote books for adults about racial struggles in the American South (Jonah’s Gourd Vine, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Tell My Horse, and many others) and about research she conducted on Haitan voodoo.

When Zora and her best friend Carrie discover that the town mute, Mr. Polk, can speak, they become obsessed with his secret. They discover his silence is connected with a much bigger mystery, one that is related to the tragic story of an enslaved girl almost 50 years earlier. Throughout the story we get a dual narrative and begin to understand the connections between the current day (1903) issues threatening Eatonville, America’s first incorporated black township, and Lucia’s struggles nearly a half century earlier.

The interweaving of early 20th century history with a fascinating mystery was masterful. Knowing that the book’s foundation was based on the imaginings of Zora Neale Hurston’s childhood added yet another dimension that made me turn pages at a fevered pace. The Curse Ground illuminates the power of our memories and why slavery still affects our country today in a way that is easily understood. This combined with its message about the importance of community and positively combatting violence woven into a story that is richly detailed and interesting makes this thought-provoking book a must-read for ages ten and up. It’s also a great classroom read and conversation starter.

The Cursed Ground can be read and completely understood as a standalone. Readers who are fascinated by this story will want to read the first book in the series.

Warning: For those who are sensitive, the graphically detailed scenes with violence towards slaves may be upsetting. These are very important to the narrative and are well-done, but they may still be disturbing.

The Cursed Ground has already received starred reviews from Horn Book and Kirkus. Preorder from your favorite bookstore to pick it up on its release date 9/11/18 or request it from your local library today.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc for The Cursed Ground in exchange for an honest review.

T.R. Simon is a children’s book writer. Her first book, Zora and Me, co-authored with Victoria Bond, won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent and was nominated for an Edgar Award in the category of Juvenile Fiction. Zora and Me was also a Junior Library Guild Selection, ABC New Voices Selection, SIBA Okra Award Winner, Fall Indie Next Top Ten Pick, Kirkus Best of 2010 Children’s Books, Booklist 2010 Editor’s Choice, The New York Public Library 2010 list of 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, the Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, and a 2014 World Book Night U.S. pick. T.R. Simon is also the co-author with her husband, Richard Simon, of Oskar And The Eight Blessings, winner of the National Jewish Book Award for children’s literature and named a 2015 best children’s book by the Miami Herald, a Jewish Telegraph Agency’s 5 Best Books for Hanukkah in 2015, a Junior Library Guild 2015 picture book selection.

She also has an M.A. in cultural anthropology and is an adjunct lecturer at the City University of New York Publishing Certificate Program where she teaches a course on children’s book publishing. She and her husband live in Westchester County, New York with their daughter, and very cuddly dog. To connect with T.R. Simon, check out her website.

Posted by Michelle Leonard.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground By: T.R. Simon
Children's Fiction Middle Grade 272 Pages Release Date September 11, 2018 Publisher: Candlewick Press
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Okay now that I got all the information that Net Galley wants me to put onto each of my reviews I can now review this book.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I gave it 4.5 stars.
This book is about two girls named Zora and Me(Carrie Brown). They learn a lot about their little towns history in this story. The town is called Eatonville, Florida. This town is a color town meaning only color people live here. The town was established in around 1887.
This story takes place in the summer of 1903
Carrie is staying with Zora and her family while her mom is off working with a sick baby. One night it is raining and the neighbors horses get loose. This is unusual so the girls go to check on the neighbor, Mr. Polk who is a mute. They find him beaten up and go to find the healer who people claim to be a witch. They soon discover that Mr. Polk is able to talk but in a foreign language and not very often. The healer is Old Lady Bronson.
Here is the reason why I only gave the book 4.5 stars it went into a flash back and I it took me almost half way through the book to figure out why.
The story turns to the year 1855 and talks about a little girl called Lucia. This little girl is friends with a white girl named Prisca. Prisca Dad brings them both to Florida to marry a lady Miss Caroline. Lucia is made into a slave and having to learn about a new of way life. The book keeps flashing back every now and then to keep you informed about what happened.
I could tell you about the book but then you want to read it and I highly recommend that you do. Ms. Simon does a wonderful job telling the way the country was back in that time that needs to be told.
You will enjoy the twist and turns this story tells. You will not want to put the book down.
Zora loves adventures and can get into a lot of scrapes. They see a ghost or two and that is unnerving to them. One quote that I liked is when Zora says "I know you go anyway, even though you're scared and you're right it doesn't make you a scaredy-cat. It makes you brave."
You must read this book to your children and help them learn about our history because the schools are slowly fading out this part of history.

“We who thought we were free from the past were still living it out.”

This is a book about place. About home. About memory. About history. About stories. About protecting all those things. Zora and Me tells the story of Zora Neale Hurston and her friend Carrie, who discover one night that the town mute can talk. From there we have an exploration of slavery, of freedom, of revenge, and of a town called Eatonville.

I loved this book. I love the use of language, how the story itself flows like water. There are two stories here that overlap. The one of Zora and Carrie, set in 1903, and the one of an enslaved little girl named Lucie, set in 1855. The two tales are woven together perfectly. I grew to love and care for all of these people. I laughed, and I cried more than once.

This is not always an easy book to read. It deals with slavery and it doesn’t gloss over either any of the facts of that world or the repercussions it had and is still having. There are statements in this book that were valid in 1855 and 1903, and are still, sadly, valid in 2018. It’s hard-hitting but not overdone. It will touch the heart of the reader and while it doesn’t always make for light, breezy reading, it does make for conscious thought and good conversations between children and adults of all ages.

Zora and Carrie are delightful. Their interaction is central to the story and it took me back to my own childhood of made up stories and getting into trouble. I grew to love Lucia and Horatio. There is so much emotion in this book. Fear, love, pride, sorrow, joy, and, most importantly, hope.

It has strong vibes of both “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” and “To Kill A Mockingbird” which are two of the best books ever written narrated by children. I’d recommend this book to any and everyone, and I’m ready for the next installment. A definite five star read.

Many thanks to Candlewick Press and Netgalley. I was given a free copy in exchange for an open and honest review.

Engaging characters make this historical fiction account come alive. There are two related stories that alternate back and forth. The story set in 1855 gives a glimpse into slavery on a southern plantation and provides the background for the story set in 1903, long after slavery has been abolished, but not forgotten. Zora and Me sent me to the internet to find out more information, which in my mind is the sign of a good book. This book should have wide appeal to middle school and up aged readers. It would make an interesting classroom read aloud selection, sparking discussions and making kids think.

Thank you Candlewick Press for the free review copy on Net Galley. I love Zora Neale Hurston's work and find her to be such an interesting person. Simon beautifully captures the spirit I image you Zora to have embodied. The story explores the remaining divide and violence that remains after slavery. Through the eyes of young Zora and her friend Carrie we witness the impact that lingers decades after the end of slavery. The flashbacks to events that occurred during the slavery are so descriptive that young readers can get an impactful picture of what it might have been like for young slaves. The story and characters are engaging and thoughtful, and I think young readers will learn from this book. And, they will love it!

<b>Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground</b> is the second in a series of historical fiction written by T. R. Simon. Set in Eatonville, Florida the novel not only introduces middle grade readers to a fictionalized young Zora Neale Hurston, but also to the very first African-American incorporated village. The book follows two storylines: one that centers on a land dispute that threatens the safety of the young town and the other set 50 years earlier during slavery. Both narratives have strong female characters, their resiliency imbuing the power of collective memory and the history that lives on within us. As a mother I am constantly looking for books that have characters that will resonate with my children. I am particularly aware of how important this is for my daughter. Although she is only 6 now I want to be able to provide for her positive images of young Black women. Whether it's something magical as is implied by the catchphrase <i>Black girl magic</i> or just her tapping into her own innate human capacity, I want her to know all that is within her power. <b>Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground</b> does this with characters that ring sincere and hold their own unique strengths. The plot was engrossing and could hold its own as a stand alone novel. Definitely something I would want my daughter to read.

A fictional book on real topics. It makes the reader think and realize what things were (are) like throughout the US. This is a great story and I recommend it for readers of all ages.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground
by T.R. Simon




Candlewick Press

Candlewick
Children's Fiction , Middle Grade
Pub Date 11 Sep 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Zora &Me: The Cursed Ground through Candlewick Press and Netgalley:


This book is a powerful fictionalized account of Zora Neale Hurston's childhood adventures.


Zora Neale Hurston and her best friend Claire learn the town mute is not really mute after all making them feel as if they uncovered a big secret, but Mr Polk's silence hides something that goes back fifty years, and the tragic story of a girl named Lucia who was a slave. Zora's curiosity leads her and a reluctant Carrie deeper into the mystery.


The story is told in two different narratives one in 1903 and the other 50 years prior where we learn of Lucia. It shows how Lucia's struggle for freedom resonates over the years threatening the future of America's first black township.

I give Zora and Me five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!