Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2014. Brown Girl Dreaming. New York:
Penguin Group. ISBN 9780698195707.
PLOT SUMMARY
Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt
halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow
up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of
Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and
powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a
glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world.
Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through
writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child.
Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks
of the gifted writer she was to become.
CRITICAL
ANALYSIS
My most favorite type of reading would be poetry. In the book
Brown Girl Dreaming, one will find it to be primarily organized in one-page
free verse poems. Although it has many types of poetry styles, this book is primarily
enhanced through a haiku series titled “how to listen.” The types of haikus found
in this book are breaks from the longer form poetry. This book has evolved
itself into what it is today. It is arranged into Parts I-V that generally matched
with big life events for the author such as moving to a new state. This book is
intended for grades 5-8, and I would argue that the situations depicted in the
memories will impact more deeply on an older audience. In many poems, Ms. Woodson
writes about popular music, candy, or toys from her childhood that children
today may be unfamiliar with. The examples given are in “far rockaway” and
“moving upstate,” a doll is mentioned, a Crissy Doll. Why such an impact? It
was during that time period that Ms. Woodson pointed out the significance of
the doll because production companies produced African American versions. While
some students who read this book will understand that a doll is being
described, it is probably the older reader who will fully take in the author’s
feelings of nostalgia. However, this does not mean that the imagery of Brown
Girl Dreaming is wasted on children. Everyone who gives time to read this book can
appreciate the sweet summer evenings described in “lullaby” or the sloppily
covered “WHITE ONLY” bathroom door sign that stands vigil “like a ghost
standing in front / still keeping you out” in the poem “ghosts.”
Woodson uses words that make impressive emotional impacts.
Readers are drawn to the frustrations of some of the poems and/or having the
experience of reading why people were having to sit at the back of the bus in
“what everybody knows now,” the sadness of “American dream”.
Language used in Brown Girl Dreaming can be easy for young
readers. It is an appropriate level for the narrator, who is a child, to read
these collected works. While pop culture
and historical references may need to be researched, children should be able to
understand the metaphors and similes sprinkled throughout the collection.
Brown Girl Dreaming has received many numerous children’s
literature awards and offers a unique perspective on desegregation as seen
through the eyes of a child.
The cultural significance about this book is how the author focused on the 1960s and 1970s where the civil rights greatly impacted the childhood of many children and of their family's lives.
REVIEW
EXCERPT(S)
- A National Book Award Winner
- A Coretta Scott King Award Winner
- A Newbery Honor Book
- One of TIME MAGAZINE’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time
“Gorgeous.”—Vanity Fair
“A radiantly warm memoir.”—The Washington Post
“Moving and resonant . . . captivating.”—The Wall Street Journal
“This is a book full of poems that cry out to be learned by heart. These are poems that will, for years to come, be stored in our bloodstream.”—The New York Times Book Review
“A profoundly moving memoir.”—San Francisco Chronicle
* “The writer’s passion for stories and storytelling permeates the memoir, explicitly addressed in her early attempts to write books and implicitly conveyed through her sharp images and poignant observations seen through the eyes of a child. Woodson’s ability to listen and glean meaning from what she hears lead to an astute understanding of her surroundings, friends, and family.”— Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
* “Mesmerizing journey through [Woodson’s] early years. . . . Her perspective on the volatile era in which she grew up is thoughtfully expressed in powerfully effective verse. . . . With exquisite metaphorical verse Woodson weaves a patchwork of her life experience . . . that covers readers with a warmth and sensitivity no child should miss. This should be on every library shelf.”—School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
* “Woodson cherishes her memories and shares them with a graceful lyricism; her lovingly wrought vignettes of country and city streets will linger long after the page is turned. For every dreaming girl (and boy) with a pencil in hand (or keyboard) and a story to share.”—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW5.
CONNECTIONS
Useful for: Can be used in conjunction with a history unit
on desegregation by contemplating the experiences of a young African American
woman who was raised in both the northern and southern part of the United
States. Bring in pictures of the historical figures mentioned in the book and
discuss their importance.
Activity Idea: Read and compare. Consider reading How I
Discovered Poetry along with Brown Girl Dreaming and compare the protagonists’
experiences with racism and how it shaped their lives.
Nelson, M., & Hooper, H. (2016). How I discovered
poetry. Speak, an imprint of Penguin Random House. ISBN:9780803733046.
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