Chapter Book 8

Author	Mildred D. Taylor
Title	The Gold Cadillac
Illustrator	NA
Readability Score	Grade level equivalent:  4.2 Lexile Measure: 650 L DRA: 40 Guided Reading: S
Genre	Fiction
Subgenre	Historical Fiction
Theme	This book spotlights the importance of familial bonds.
Primary and Secondary Characters	Lois, Wilma, Daddy, Mother-Dear
Award(s) date of publication	1987
Publishing Company	Puffin Books
ISBN Number	0-14-038963-6
Brief Summary	Lois and her sister Wilma are ecstatic when Daddy pulls up to their house in a brand new gold Cadillac.  The neighbors share the girls’ feelings of excitement and awe.  However, Mother-Dear becomes furious when she learns of Daddy’s new impractical and expensive purchase.  Mother-Dear refuses to ride in the new car and forbids the girls to do so as well.  Yet, when Daddy announces his plans to take the new car down South to Mississippi to visit relatives, Mother-Dear decides that the entire family will accompany him on the journey due to fear for his safety.  Just as Mother-Dear feared, Daddy is pulled over and arrested by a police officer simply for being of color and driving an expensive car in the rural South.
Picture of book cover
Description of how you would use book with students	I would use this book in literature circles during a unit on the Civil Rights Movement.