From Whence We Came — Lynetra T. Griffin

Although she is a child, Lottie Parsons has already grown to understand hardship. As one of the youngest members of a poor African American family working a farm owned by a wealthy landowner in Willow Creek, Georgia, Lottie picks beans under the hot sun, shells peas on the front porch, and carefully observes her mother as she approaches every hardship with pride, prayer, and a focus on family values.

Although Lottie's family usually has more monthly bills than income, they still manage to enjoy wonderful meals prepared by her mother, who makes tasty pots of ham hocks, green beans, and red potatoes--with pound cake for dessert. As Lottie goes about her days on the farm, she aspires to become a doctor and gathers strength to pursue her dreams from the role models around her, including her mother, her aunt Ella, and her grandmother, Nana Rose. But it is not long before Lottie soon realizes that nothing lasts forever--even in Willow Creek.

"From Whence We Came" shares the compassionate, historical tale of a southern African American family as they attempt to overcome challenges and adjust as life takes them in a new direction.