The New Frontier

By: Wayne L. Wilson
Publisher: Artemesia Publishing
Publication Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9781951122874
Reviewed by: Rebecca Jane Johnson
Review Date: August 13, 2024

Wayne L. Wilson, a masterful author of over 22 books in multiple genres, has written an endearing historical novel for young adults, The New Frontier. This vital story tells of one family’s experience of discrimination in 1960s Los Angeles when they move from the South Central neighborhood to Fisher Place. The narrative traverses an expansive emotional spectrum: sensitivity, humor, friendliness, rage, hatred, stoicism, vigilance, and impudence are displayed by various everyday people. It is a story that bears witness to the harsh and joyous realities endured by the pioneers of racial integration.

When Samual Scott Cole is twelve years old, his father Grant is inspired by a speech given by presidential hopeful John F. Kennedy; Mr. Cole becomes determined to move his African American family to a new home where Sam can have his own bedroom and yard in which to play. Sam’s mother is reluctant, and the Cole family’s community wonders if the move is a wise one.

The first part of the novel shows the family before they move. In the South Central community, Sam’s best friends, Tarelle and Jamelle, are fearsome fighters of the boogey man. Sam is nurtured by Mattie White, the neighborhood childcare giver, who has a genuine love for the Bible and church life. Sam himself gains legendary status among his peers after falling in a manhole and surviving the mythic mole man. When the school bully, Edgar Bradshaw, intimidates Sam into giving him his milk money, Sam’s mother teaches both boys valuable lessons in how to stand up to a bully, work through differences, and cultivate friendships. Sam overcomes his misperceptions about Edgar when he understands the boy’s bully behaviors were an outcome of his difficult home life.

The night before the Coles move, the community throws them a bittersweet going away party, filled with great music, dancing, cake, and joy. This makes the sadness that much more poignant when Sam’s reality changes in his new neighborhood—he had never heard such offensive slurs, nor did he give much heed to his Black identity, until the Coles face violations to their property, threats, nasty letters, and abusive police officers. But Sam’s father meets this adversity like a hero, and Sam is a kid who thrills at learning from his father how to properly shoot the basketball through the hoop. At first, Sam endures friendlessness, until Patsy McGuire, the spirited girl from next door, comes over to play with him. The friendship between these two is precious and well conveyed in this author’s deft hands.

When Sam and Patsy accidentally discover the dark truths about a neighbor, Vernon, the story unfolds with great urgency. It is difficult to put this book down, but as the plot with this dark presence develops, it starts to feel a bit too contrived. While the second half of the novel contains important social commentary and truthful exposé of racial prejudice, it also felt less satisfying than the first half. The pacing gets awkward and Vernon’s character is not as well wrought as the other characters. It felt like the story was trying too hard to entertain, and this took away from the depth of humanity that was conveyed in the first part of the novel. However, this flaw is minor and can easily be overlooked because Patsy, the Cole family and the neighbors, the Wolfbergs, are all so endearing. Also, throughout the book, the dialogue really sings!

This is an important book because it rouses a sense of gratitude toward this courageous family, especially Grant Cole, who endured police brutality and cruel offenses by neighbors. When Grant had to clean dog poop out of his mailbox, Sam describes his father as carrying out this humiliating task, “like he’s picking up shells on the beach.” Anyone might feel encouraged by Mr. Cole’s display of dignity and perseverance. The Cole family, cultivating strength in the face of adversity, demonstrated superhuman levels of tenacity. The Cole family, though fictional, is based on real families who can be remembered and honored as true American heroes who braved the hostile frontiers of racial integration.

Quill says: The New Frontier deserves classic status for its ability to charm the reader with heroes everyone can love.

For more information on The New Frontier, please visit the author’s website at: www.wlwilson.com/