Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson is a biography written in prose. Woodson tells us the story of her childhood through vivid poems that flow across the page and through the readers mind like a song. Woodson brings us back in time to the beginning of the civil rights movement, inviting the reader to experience the trepidation of the times first hand. Woodson takes us through her family history, through her struggles in school, and through her mother's struggles to support her family. We look on, concerned, as her baby brother peels paint off of the walls, and worry at the outcome. Woodson's poems bring her stories of struggles, love, and friendship to life in a beautifully lyrical way.
I throughly enjoyed reading Brown Girl Dreaming and had a hard time putting it down. It was a quicker read, and was amazingly engaging. I will most definitely be pushing my friends to read this lovely, award winning, book.
I would recommend Brown Girl Dreaming to upper grade high school students who have some knowledge of the civil rights movement, and who could benefit from making connections from the heroes to their affect on every day people. Although, I think a student with about a 5/6th grade reading level could read this book and get a lot out of it. This book would be excellent to spur discussions on race, schooling, and cultural differences.
-Robin
This book was lovely! It was a page turner indeed. This would be a great way to introduce the Civil Rights movement. Stunning! Meryl
ReplyDelete