Brown Girl Dreaming

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl Dreaming. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Summary: Jackie was born in Ohio and visited her grandparents in the South very often. Her mother loves the the South but her father could not stand the rampant racism. Her parents constantly argue about this fact and eventually split. Jackie's mother takes her and her siblings back to the South to live with her parents. Jackie grows to love living in South Carolina. Jackie's mother decides to move back to New York and leaves her children with her parents until she is ready to take them. When she does come back for them, Jackie discovers she has a new baby brother. Once in New York, Jackie makes new friends and decides she wants to be a writer. Through the years she returns to South Carolina to visit her grandparents. Her grandpa eventually dies of cancer and her grandma moves up to New York to live with them.
Commentary: The plot of Brown Girl Dreaming follows a easy flow for a reader. We can read it like the story of a little girl that is growing into a young woman. She is experienceing many changes in her life and students will be able to connect with her. Her parents become divorced and she is forced to move to the South where slavery is rampant. The conflict between her and society is a difficult one that some students may be able to connect with.
Connections: Teacher Resources, Book Trailer, Book Review, Author Interview
Similar Books: Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir; How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson; Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown
Textbook Connections: Brown Girl Dreaming shows us a very likable character named Jackie. It also has a good plot and many sources of conflict. The setting, style and theme are also excellent. This book shows all the characteristics of a good book.