What is your opinion of racial segregation? How much do you know about it? How many books have you read about it? How many of those books have stayed with you forever?

In Kathryn Stockett's mesmerizing novel, The Help, the relationships between African-American maids and their white employers are tested, crossing social boundaries in Jackson, Mississippi.

Aibileen and Minny, two black housemaids, are completely entwined in their employers' households: they raise the children, cook for the family, and do the shopping and cleaning. Skeeter, a white college graduate, begins to notice how the maids are treated after the mysterious disappearance of her own family's maid, and tries to bring their stories to light. Secrets unfold, involving past loves, family relations, and confrontation. The humor and ironic twists provide suspense, keeping the reader wide-eyed throughout the book's unforgettable events.

In this world, where whites and blacks are segregated, Stockett spins a complex web with her characters, connecting them all in a mind-boggling manner. This novel's stunning reality creates a page-turner where every family has deception floating beneath its surface. The author's stunning Southern dialect adds to the novelty of the story. This recent fiction best-seller is one book no one should miss.

A powerful draw for people of all ages, this is a story no one can put down. All in all, The Help is a thrilling book to stick on your “must read” shelf. The incredible, poignant story of the 1960s teaches teenagers today what they never witnessed, giving them an opportunity to become the most accepting generation yet.