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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
For some reason, I put this down this past year halfway through. I picked it back up and shed actual tears while I finished; I'm very grateful for this reading experience.
I am abstaining from giving this a starred review. I just can't.
When I was little my mom took me to see Cirque du Soleil. I hated it. Years later I agreed to see another performance, dully expecting to hate it again. This time I didn't. The troupe had evolved past just tricks, now there was a story being told with tricks and movement. And while I didn't love it, I could appreciate it as an art form I'm not particularly into but which has merit and is "good".
I felt the same way about this book. It was very good. Thr story within was definitely worth telling. But... it's poetry. And I detest poetry. But, at least this was poetry with an overarching story, that I liked.
My abilivalence with this book is just not fair. But as there is nothing I can do to change it I will just say that it was very good, but not for me.
When I was little my mom took me to see Cirque du Soleil. I hated it. Years later I agreed to see another performance, dully expecting to hate it again. This time I didn't. The troupe had evolved past just tricks, now there was a story being told with tricks and movement. And while I didn't love it, I could appreciate it as an art form I'm not particularly into but which has merit and is "good".
I felt the same way about this book. It was very good. Thr story within was definitely worth telling. But... it's poetry. And I detest poetry. But, at least this was poetry with an overarching story, that I liked.
My abilivalence with this book is just not fair. But as there is nothing I can do to change it I will just say that it was very good, but not for me.
An intimate view of Jacqueline Woodson's early years and the very beginnings of her life as an author. Woven into her story is the larger story of the civil rights movement. This would be a fantastic book to explore with a class or one on one- so much to discuss in each brief chapter.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Diving into Woodson's backlog - didn't realize this was a memoir of her childhood in the South, exploring themes of family, identity, culture, religion amdist a tension filled environment of racism & sexism - and the love the heart of memory - it's complicated/complex.
Truly a beautiful, joyous read. My only wish is that it were longer. I just wanted more of Woodson's beautiful poetry.
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Rich and beautiful. Her verse is so precise and spare, it really cuts to the essence of growing up a black woman in America in the 70s.
This book is a narrative of Woodson's childhood as she grows up in the midst of the Civil Rights era. She grows up in South Carolina, New York, and Ohio during a time when segregation was in full force. Her experiences during her childhood are written in verse form as she details growing up and dealing with heavy issues such as racism. This book and the author's experiences detailed within it gives the reader the point of view of a child during this trying and difficult time in American history.
Though I appreciate this book, its message, its historical content, its point of view, and its themes, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to. Though it was a quick read because it was written in verse form, I found it hard to follow at some points and hard to really get in to. I think it was because I am not really into reading books that are in verse form, as I am not a huge poetry person and one who just sticks to the classics when it does come to poetry. However, I do think that this novel is so well received and powerful because it is written in verse form in the perspective of a child. I think the themes it conveys are important and though I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to or expected to, I would recommend it to other readers.
Though I appreciate this book, its message, its historical content, its point of view, and its themes, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to. Though it was a quick read because it was written in verse form, I found it hard to follow at some points and hard to really get in to. I think it was because I am not really into reading books that are in verse form, as I am not a huge poetry person and one who just sticks to the classics when it does come to poetry. However, I do think that this novel is so well received and powerful because it is written in verse form in the perspective of a child. I think the themes it conveys are important and though I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to or expected to, I would recommend it to other readers.
I had heard good things about this, but then I heard that it was poetry and aimed at young adults and I couldn't imagine actually reading it. But when I saw it at the library, I decided to give it a try and I am so glad that I did.
It reminded me of Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury, in its poetic evocation of childhood. But it's also about family, and race, and the civil rights movement, and most of all being a little girl who knows she's going to be a writer even though her sister is the "smart" one in the family.
It reminded me of Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury, in its poetic evocation of childhood. But it's also about family, and race, and the civil rights movement, and most of all being a little girl who knows she's going to be a writer even though her sister is the "smart" one in the family.