Roi and Me and the Double V: A WWII Story

Best friends Marvel and Roi help out on the WWII homefront, but when racial injustice threatens their community, they must turn to activism for a victory of their own in this empowering middle grade novel.

As WWII rages overseas, best friends track star Marvel and future journalist Roi face injustice much closer to home. They do what they can to support the war effort—growing Victory gardens, collecting scrap—but these contributions don’t feel like much of a victory when no one is fighting to protect their freedom. Patriotic Black recruits are turned away from the army, food shortages abound, and the military moves into their neighborhood.

When an industrial developer threatens to destroy the local park where Marvel runs track, this Olympic hopeful fears she’ll never make it to the starting line. Galvanized, Marvel and Roi learn about the Double V campaign challenging the irony and hypocrisy of racial inequality: V for Victory Abroad and Victory at Home. With the help of their journalist teacher, can two kids support their community in an activist movement to win the battle against injustice at home?

Rich with historical detail and a convincing voice, Sandra W. Headen’s immersive middle grade novel invites readers into the underexplored world of the Black WWII homefront. Roi and Me and the Double V is a story of fighting for dreams, standing up to injustice, and the power of the people—children included.