The Outlaws of Maroon

An adult novel about the world of children. In McCarthy-era New York City fourth graders find a forgotten room in the foundations of a building where they struggle to live their dreams. As the cold war of 1950s America envelops their school they become radicalized. “Novels such as John Curl’s The Outlaws of Maroon which capture a child’s point of view and examine the intersection of history and social justice hold an important place in American literature. Think of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Books such as these both illuminate moments in history and remind us to pay attention to children: we can learn from them for they are paying attention to the world.” — Lucille Lang Day