Brown Girl Dreaming

LS 5663 Module 1 (3/3)

Bibliography:

Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming. Puffin, 2016. ISBN 978-1-518-15370-9

Summary:

Award winning author Jacqueline Woodson writes a beautiful memoir in verse. It is a story written in her point of view that takes the reader from her birth in 1963 through her young life. She writes very honestly about what it was to be an African American in the 1960 and 70s. Her story speaks of her longing to find a place that is home. It is a story of her family and what it is to be loved. It is her journey to find her passion as a writer. Through moves and births and friendships and deaths, Woodson writes a very powerful and poetic book that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Analysis:

The copy of Brown Girl Dreaming that I read from my public library is very eye catching. The cover has 3 seals from awards the book has earned. That alone is enough to grab the reader’s attention, but beyond that, a sky is beautifully drawn in yellows and oranges with the silhouette of a girl with an open book. The book has a table of contents that separates the book into parts, 5 parts in total. It also lists extras such as a family tree, author’s notes, thanks and family photos. After the family tree but before her story, Woodson starts with a poem by Langston Hughes. This poem is about dreams and it perfectly sets the mood for the book.

The book is 328 pages in length and tell the story of Woodson’s life. It is easy to get lost in the story and forget that you are reading in verse. However, every “poem” is titled with a bold font. The pieces vary in length and style. On some pages the author uses just a word or two per line to show emphasis and create emotion.

The story will interest young readers because the character is young through most of the story. She shares very relatable tidbits of her life. As an adult I loved the book because of the way she talked about her parents and grandparents and the way they choose to live. It was fascinating to get a look into her life. I fell in love with her and was overjoyed with the poem, “a writer” when her teacher first made her believe she was exactly what she wanted to be.

One of my favorite story lines is that of her and her friend Maria. They had such a strong and unique bond. I was thrilled to read an update about Maria in the Author’s Note. I love that they are “forever friends” and she helped Woodson remember the details for her life. One of my favorite pages is called, What If…? The poem starts like this…

Activity:

After reading page 295 in its entirety, ask the students to think of any significant event in their life. Big or small. Encourage them to come up with some “what if’s” that would change the outcome of that event. The teacher can model the project using a situation depending on the age of the kids. One decision that changes everything.