Brown Girl Dreaming is an autobiographical account of Jacqueline Woodson's childhood experiences growing up as an African American girl in the 1960s and 1970s. The story is told through a series of free verse poems that highlight the challenges, joys, and growth of the author as she navigates different environments in the North and South, grappling with issues of racism, family dynamics, and self-discovery. Woodson's writing style beautifully captures the essence of her journey, providing readers with a poignant and insightful glimpse into her life.
Through the lens of poetry, Woodson delves into themes of identity, family, heritage, and the impact of historical events like the Civil Rights Movement on her upbringing. The book offers a unique perspective on the struggles and triumphs of a young girl coming of age in a time marked by racial tensions and social change, ultimately portraying a powerful narrative of resilience, self-acceptance, and the transformative power of storytelling.
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From The Publisher:
Jacqueline Woodson's National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner is a powerful memoir that tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.
A President Obama "O" Book Club pick
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.
Includes 7 additional poems, including "Brown Girl Dreaming."
Praise for Jacqueline Woodson:
"Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery."-The New York Times Book Review
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Loved It (5) | |
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3 comment(s)
“Brown Girl Dreaming” is a timely story of a girl’s life in the 1960s and 1970s in the South Carolina as well as New York. I enjoyed that her story is presented in free verse and that poems vary between a few lines and a whole page.
The book consists of five parts and begins with mother’s and father’s family tree. The first poem signifies Jacqueline’s birth and the hope that all brown children like her can grow up to be free from oppression.
Part two of the book focuses on the author’s childhood in South Carolina as well as her mother’s desire to leave for New York.
Part three of the book focuses on the author’s childhood in Brooklyn, New York as well as getting used to having a new baby brother. In this part of the book, the author feels torn between the slow pace of life in the south and the fast pace of life in the north.
Part four of the book sees a shift in the author and a discovery of her love of the written word and creating stories.
Part five of the book focuses on life after the death of her beloved grandfather and her grandmother moving to Brooklyn. The book ends with the author’s realization that black people have to navigate through multiple worlds on a daily basis.
This book is a timely one and I find it ironic that the hopes and dreams of the civil rights movement of the 1960s have still not been fulfilled in 2020.
***3.0***
Review soon.
Her work is amazing and fully thought through. I really enjoyed the format of her poems and the stories she tells. Jacqueline places certain words aside or should I mention seprately so readers can understand her work and define her purpose within her poems and her life experinces. I met her in person at my college for a special author's event. She's outstanding, full of life and a good story teller. The poem "baby in the house" WOW ! amazing sad but reality and it's not a poem for the weak or broken.
What can you read after
Brown Girl Dreaming?
About the Author:
Jacqueline Woodson (www.jacquelinewoodson.com) is the recipient of a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship, the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Award, the 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and the 2018 Children's Literature Legacy Award. She was the 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, and in 2015,…
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