Brown Girl Dreaming

Title: Brown Girl Dreaming
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
# of Pages: 336
Published by: Nancy Paulsen Books, First Edition
Awards Won: Newberry Medal, National Book Award Winner

This book is about a true story about author Jacqueline Woodson. She was raised in both South Carolina and New York. Throughout the book she writes about what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960's and 1970's and in the era of the Civil Rights Movement. She uses poetry to write this unique story. Throughout reading the story her voice clearly shows through and you truly get to know her. When she was a child she struggled with reading, however she learned to love stories and inspired her to become a writer herself.

This story uses unique voice and the poetry style of writing which truly makes it a wonderful book to read. I would recommend this book for any child interested in learning about the Civil Rights era, a struggling reader, or someone who has a passion for writing.

Some Classroom Activities Could Include:

• Using this book for literature focus unit or literature circles
• Lessons on the Civil Rights Era or Jim Crow Laws 
• Poetry lessons 
•  Teaching Students about Voice