YMMV / Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

• First Installment Wins: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the most well-known of the series, and while the other books are well regarded in their own right, none have achieved its same level of popularity.
• Iron Woobie: Mr. Morrison, a nice and strong (In all senses of the word) man who has as one of his earliest memories being thrown outside his house by his family after it was set on fire by "night men", and being forced to watch the flames consume them, the burn scars on his body being a living reminder of that night.
• Jerkass Woobie: T.J. is far from a pleasant individual and has made some poor choices in life, but he doesn't deserve to be falsely convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The Wallaces burn the Berrys alive for the "crime" of allegedly flirting with a white woman, and when Cassie is taken to see the surviving Mr. Berry he's a literal husk of a man barely holding on to life.
  • Mr. Morrison's backstory. "Night men" attacked his house and set it on fire, killing his parents. The only reason he survived was because he was physically thrown out the building, though he still carries the physical and mental scars to this day.