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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
This book was absolutely mesmerizing and so beautifully written. Powerful. Deeply felt. So so visual. I was utterly transported. Read the whole thing in one sitting.
Wow...this could have been such a quick read, but I found myself purposely slowing down to take it all in.
Some parts light & humorous, others just plain heartbreaking; all verse, all powerful.
I loved the poems labelled "How to Listen" and how Jackie talks about being a writer.
Beautiful.
Some parts light & humorous, others just plain heartbreaking; all verse, all powerful.
I loved the poems labelled "How to Listen" and how Jackie talks about being a writer.
Beautiful.
Free-verse was the perfect way to tell this story.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Takes a little getting used to, as this memoir is written entirely in verse, but it really works. Some beautiful lines, and this approach beautifully captures the writer, her family, and her life growing up.
Beautifully written memory of Woodson’s early life, growing up in the era of the emergence of Civil Rights, in NC & NY. I was apprehensive about a book in verse but her reading of the audiobook made the story unfold effortlessly. The words and phases chosen, paint a vivid picture & even though my frame of reference is very different, it was easy to visualize each moment. It’s short, and well worth the read.
I've read many books written in this style and I continue to love it. I was not expecting a book about a modern young girl, but as the story began I was still swept away. There are so many profound statements in this novel, I couldn't write them all down. What an amazing life this author led, and what a positive outlook she continues to share.
I loved this book. It was fun to read about the author's childhood and get to know the important people in her life. It's amazing to me how complete a book can feel with so few words written in it. Also, I thought that the 'in verse' format worked well with the stories broken up into sections.
I'm very grateful that Woodson chose to write the story of her childhood. Even though (compared to other biographies) she's left out most of the "facts" that will inevitably be recorded & published by some biographer someday, this memoir feels like it includes all the essential stuff of her life, in a story-form that young readers will find as open & fascinating & thought-provoking & probably inspiring as her fiction.
The poetic form invites an emotional response - as if all the extra space on the pages is room for readers to take time to feel how she (and the other characters) felt.
I was initially put off somewhat (in the first 20 pages) by the very adult observations of Woodson's mother and grandmother and how they talked & felt. It seemed to me that young readers (ages 9 to 14) would hardly care at all about these descriptions. Soon enough, however, the focus is clearly on Woodson herself & her observations and thoughts as a child. I can easily imagine many children from a variety of cultures reading this and strongly relating to Woodson's young self.
To me, this seems like another practically ideal book, in a body of writing that all seems to me to be just what we (librarians, parents, teachers, readers) all have been wanting. When I (white librarian in Oakland, CA) joined others saying "We need diverse books," this book is just what I was imagining - the kind that focuses on universal feelings we all can relate to, while being very specific in their context by showing details of time & place & character. One that shows how, in difficult situations, wonderful folks manage & determine to deal with them gracefully & lovingly & positively. Woodson doesn't pretend the 60s were easy for black people in the South; she describes how her family coped (together & apart) & grew stronger & found a way to determine their own goals & attitudes.
For many readers, we weren't there and we don't understand completely, but we extrapolate & interpolate from these descriptions to empathize. For some readers, I imagine they might appreciate having a story similar to their own be so thoughtfully and sensitively written.
The poetic form invites an emotional response - as if all the extra space on the pages is room for readers to take time to feel how she (and the other characters) felt.
I was initially put off somewhat (in the first 20 pages) by the very adult observations of Woodson's mother and grandmother and how they talked & felt. It seemed to me that young readers (ages 9 to 14) would hardly care at all about these descriptions. Soon enough, however, the focus is clearly on Woodson herself & her observations and thoughts as a child. I can easily imagine many children from a variety of cultures reading this and strongly relating to Woodson's young self.
To me, this seems like another practically ideal book, in a body of writing that all seems to me to be just what we (librarians, parents, teachers, readers) all have been wanting. When I (white librarian in Oakland, CA) joined others saying "We need diverse books," this book is just what I was imagining - the kind that focuses on universal feelings we all can relate to, while being very specific in their context by showing details of time & place & character. One that shows how, in difficult situations, wonderful folks manage & determine to deal with them gracefully & lovingly & positively. Woodson doesn't pretend the 60s were easy for black people in the South; she describes how her family coped (together & apart) & grew stronger & found a way to determine their own goals & attitudes.
For many readers, we weren't there and we don't understand completely, but we extrapolate & interpolate from these descriptions to empathize. For some readers, I imagine they might appreciate having a story similar to their own be so thoughtfully and sensitively written.
