Great read -- short chapters, good topic.

From the point of view of 12 year white boy, Gabriel, who uses his influence with his family to help Meriwether Hunter, a "colored" veteran in post WWII small town South Carolina, after Meriwether saves his life. The book does a good job with the complex issues that surround Jim Crow and the beginning of the Great Migration, but the language, which includes a lot of timely historical slang can be a bit hard to follow sometimes.
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Gabriel and his parents live in a small, segregated South Carolina town, but when a Black man saves Gabriel's life, Gabriel gets to know more about the "Other Side." Meriwether Hunter is a mechanic, and Gabriel's dad runs a gas station and auto repair shop - one that's listed in the Green Book - so Gabriel figures he can pay Mr. Hunter back by getting his dad to employ him. Gabriel's parents are enlightened by the standards of the day, but Gabriel's dad's other employee is far from it - he's rumored to have ties to the KKK. Inevitably, there's a clash, and Meriwether and his family head north, part of the Great Migration.

See also: Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

Quotes

One funny thing about life and all the stuff that happens while you're living it is that mostly you only see it through your own eyes, that is, unless you decide to try to see things through the eyes of someone else. Then, you have four eyes, and looking at things with more eyes than just your own lets you see things more clearly - maybe even see things the way they really are, not just the way you want them to be. (first sentence)

"I've heard tell that when someone saves your life, a special bond is created 'tween you and it's likely you'll be indebted to him." (Auntie Rita to Gabriel, 34)

"Should be some law that keeps you from doin' harm when all you were aimin' to do is good." Daddy sighed.
"Oughtta be but there isn't," Mama commented. (77)

"...age has little to do with genuine friendship. Recipe for friendship is liking and trust. Respect gets mixed up in there too." (Meriwether Hunter, 149)

The first time you meet someone, it's the beginning of a brand-new unmapped trail, so there's no way of knowing if that path is going to be a short one, a long one, or somewhere in between, or maybe one that takes you in a circle and therefore never ends. (174) ( )

A very good middle school read about life in the Jim Crow South, following WWII. A young white boy growing up in a progressive, educated home (with parents educated at Oberlin College) turns 12, and is almost killed riding his new bicycle, but is saved by the quick action of a black handyman named Meriwether. The two strike us a friendship, resulting in Meriwether getting hired at the boy's father's gas station when a mechanic leaves for a woman. The other mechanic is most displeased, and may belong to the local KKK chapter. Turns out Meriwether is one of the many blacks who returned from WWII having served in the military with distinction only to find out they were still second class citizens. When things go south [pun] for Meriwether and his family, they get enough help to avoid a serious problem. Hopeful book about the future of race relations. ( )

Strong, authentic voices from all characters. The friendship between Gabriel and Meriwether is lovingly drawn and epitomizes the epigraph by Rabindranath Tagore that "Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance" and I would add, on age difference. As an adult reader, I learned more about the Jim Crow South, the 371st Tank Battalion, and the deplorable treatment of African-Americans, though the story and content are well-suited to the middle-grade audience, too. Includes an Afterword and Bibliography. Highly recommended. I look forward to reading more books by Brenda Woods. ( )

In a small town outside Charleston SC, Gabriel celebrates his 12th birthday with a new Schwinn Autocycle Deluxe bicycle. He almost gets hit by Mrs. Betty Babcock but Meriwether Hunter saves his life. Meriwether is a black gentleman looking for work; mentions a skill working with engines. When Daddy loses an employee, Gabriel gets the idea of Meriwether working for Daddy. Told in a folksy voice. ( )