Brown Girl Dreaming

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Woodson, J. (2016). Brown girl dreaming. New York, New York Puffin Books, 2016. ISBN: 0147515823


PLOT SUMMARY
Brown Girl Dreaming is a memoir about Jacqueline Woodson’s childhood.. She shares with readers her experiences growing up in America during the Civil Rights movement. Jacqueline witnesses many things when she moves down South to stay with her Grandparents from racial division to discrimination. This does not stop Jacqueline from loving the South, her culture, and family history. She continues to see racial inequality when she is forced to move up North to New York. In this world full of division, Jacqueline learns to find herself and real passion in life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This award winning narrative memoir written by Jacqueline Woodson reveals to readers what it is like being an African American child during the Civil Rights era. The in text cultural markers that I felt led to this book being culturally accurate is the fact that the author is writing about her real life experience growing up in the 1960’s.This provides readers with a firsthand account about what it was like being a person of color during this time period. Many readers are able to understand Jacqueline's drive and passion to find herself and escape this world of inequality.

There are many other cultural markers that can be found in this book including Woodson’s religious life as a Jehovah Witness and Muslim. She speaks of not being able to eat pork or listen to her favorite songs on the radio due to her religious upbringing. Woodson also integrates the Spanish culture when she discusses hanging out with her friend Maria and her family. Readers will be exposed to the negative effects of mass incarceration and family issues in the black community. This is a recommended read for anyone interested in Black history or for readers that like poetry. Many young readers will be able to connect to the major themes in the book including family and equality.


REVIEW EXCERPTS
Library Media Connection (March/April 2015)
“This is a beautifully crafted work that should be read for its own sake, but it also works well to meet Common Core Standards.”

Publishers Weekly (May 26, 2014)
“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. Ages 10-up.”

Connection

More middle grade books written by Jacqueline Woodson!
Woodson, J. (2015). Locomotion. New York, NY: Puffin Books.ISBN 0142415529
Woodson, J. (2011). Hush. Place of publication not identified: Perfection Learning.ISBN 0142415510
Woodson, Jacqueline. (2010). Behind You. Turtleback Books. ISBN: 0142415545