Across the Alley

Abe and Willie are next-door neighbors. During the day they don't play together, because Abe is Jewish and Willie is black. But at night, when nobody's watching, they're best friends. All summer long, Abe and Willie open their windows across the alley to play catch. Abe lends Willie his violin, while Willie shows Abe how to throw a real big-league slider. Then one night, Abe's grandfather catches them - will Abe and Willie have the courage to cross the alley and bring their friendship out in the open? Set against a backdrop of old-time Brooklyn, E. B. Lewis's haunting watercolors and Richard Michelson's stirring prose capture both the fun and the danger of having a secret best friend. It is a powerful story of overcoming prejudice that will strike a chord with readers of all ages.