Fireflies in December

Fireflies in December by Valent, Jennifer Erin. library edition. ISBN: 9781602854468.

"The summer I turned thirteen, I thought I killed a man." So begins the story of Jessilyn Lassiter, a young girl whose world is torn apart the summer of 1932. When Jessilyns best friend, Gemma, loses her parents in a tragic fire, Jessilyns father vows to care for her as his own, despite the fact that Gemma is black and prejudice is prevalent in their southern Virginia town. It doesnt take long for the Lassiters to attract the attention of a local band of Ku Klux Klan members, who make increasingly violent threats on Jessilyn and her family. As she struggles to navigate a complex world of first crushes, loyalties, and betrayals, Jessilyn ultimately discovers what it takes to be a bright light in a dark world.