A review by heatherg213
The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

3.0

Despite the slim nature of this book, it carries a surprising amount of weight. Staggerlee is an interesting character-the grandchild of famous grandparents, unable to take advantage of the freedom from oppression that they fought for. She struggles to understand what it means to be bi-racial in a mostly black community, where the other kids assume she thinks she is better than they are. The fact that she has a secret about her feelings towards other girls contributes to her isolation. When Trout comes into the picture, she has finally found someone "like her". But when Trout leaves, and the intensity of their frienship starts to lessen, Staggerlee is left wondering if and when she will truly be able to just be herself. This book would be great for teaching about multi-racial identity or sexual orientation specifically, or tryiing to find your place in the world in general.