Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Brown Girl Dreaming (edition 2016)

by Jacqueline Woodson (Author)

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4,473	377	2,605	(4.41)	271
Biography & Autobiography. Juvenile Nonfiction. Sociology. HTML:*A New York Times* Bestseller and National Book Award Winner** Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. 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. A National Book Award Winner A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Award Winner Praise for Jacqueline Woodson: Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery.�?��??The New York Times Book Revie… (more)

▾Book information

Member:	BreeannahBarrientos
Title:	Brown Girl Dreaming
Authors:	Jacqueline Woodson (Author)
Info:	Puffin Books (2016), Edition: Reprint, 368 pages
Collections:	Your library
Rating:
Tags:	woman, Sibert award winner, coretta Scott king award

Work Information

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

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Autobiography of a Family Photo by Jacqueline Woodson (susanbooks)
susanbooks: Autobiography of a Familly Photo is a prose novel and stands beautifully on its own. Read alongside Brown Girl Dreaming, the earlier book seems like the nightmare, R-rated version of the later one. Both are stunning.
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The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis (Anonymous user)
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Coaltown Jesus by Ron Koertge (Ciruelo)

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English (375) Spanish (1) All languages (376)

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I’ve always loved stories written in the form of poetry, and Jacqueline Woodson’s writing in Brown Girl Dreaming didn’t disappoint. The book is a series of autobiographical poems that tell the story of her family and her childhood as a black girl growing up in the 60s and 70s. I’ve lived a completely different life than Woodson, but I still saw so many of my own feelings in her words. There were times I forgot I was even reading a book of poems, and then she’d say something that hit me so hard I had to stop and cry. Even if you don’t read a lot of poetry, I would recommend this book. (

)

jellybeanette | May 26, 2024 |

Independent Reading Level: 9 to 12 years old
Awards & Honors: National Book Award, the Coretta Scott King Author Award, and a Newbery Honor.

Virginia_Lynn1999 | Apr 29, 2024 |

Independent Reading Level: Grade 5-7
Awards/Honors: 2014 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Coretta Scott King, Author Award, Newbery Honor, NAACP Image Award, Sibert Honor (

)

laholley | Apr 27, 2024 |

Brown Girl Dreaming is a book written by Jacqueline Woodson about her life growing up as a young girl. She talks about her experiences living in both New York City and the South during the 1960s and 1970s, a time when there were many important events happening, like the Civil Rights Movement. Through poems, she tells us about her family, finding her voice as a writer, and figuring out who she is. Brown Girl Dreaming is suitable for readers aged 12 and older who enjoy stories about growing up, poetry, and learning about people's lives. Teachers can use this book to talk about history, identity, and how writing can help us understand ourselves and others. It's a great way to learn about important events in a personal and meaningful way.

TravisJ | Apr 24, 2024 |

This story is written by an author about herself verse as she grew up during the civil rights movement. Topics like racism, loss of family, and incarceration are talked about in an appropriate way for intermediate students to have conversations about. I would use this for students who are approaching middle school and are ready to read chapter books that discuss mature topics. I think this is a great option for students because it is written in verse which is fun and approachable.

kthomas22 | Apr 24, 2024 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Woodson, Jacqueline	—	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Farrokhzad, Athena	—	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

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▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award (Nominee – 4-5 Fiction – 2015-2016)

Arkansas Teen Book Award (Nominee – Level 1, Grades 7-9 – 2016)

BCCB Blue Ribbon Book (Nonfiction – 2014)

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee – Grades 4-6 – 2016)

Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (Honor – Fiction – 2015)

Claudia Lewis Award for Poetry (For Older Readers – 2015)

Coretta Scott King Award (Winner – Author – 2015)

CSMCL Best Multicultural Book (2014)

E.B. White Read-Aloud Award (Winner – Middle Reader – 2015)

Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist – Grades 4-8 – 2016)

Global Read Aloud Contender (4th and up as well as 6th and up: – 2015)

Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended – Tween Non-Fiction (non-voting) – 2017)

Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee – 2016)

A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (Nonfiction – 2014)

IBBY Honour Book (USA, English)

Iowa Children's Choice Award (Nominee – 2017)

Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee – Grades 6-8 – 2016)

Keystone to Reading Book Award (Nominee – Secondary Award, Middle School Level – 2016)

Land Of Enchantment Book Award (Winner – Lizard (6th - 8th grade) – 2017)

Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Nominee – 2018)

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work (Nominee – Youth/Teens – 2015)

National Book Award (Winner – Young People's Literature – 2014)

NCSLMA Battle of the Books (Middle School – 2019)

Nevada Young Readers' Award (Nominee – Intermediate – 2016)

Newbery Medal (Honor Book – 2015)

Norman A. Sugarman Children’s Biography Award (Honor Book – 2016)

North Carolina Children's Book Award (Nominee – Junior Book – 2016)

Ohioana Book Award (Winner – Middle Grade & Young Adult Literature – 2015)

Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee – Middle School (Intermediate) Division – 2017)

Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee – 2016)

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal (Honor Book – 2015)

Southern Book Prize (Winner – Children's – 2015)

Street Literature Book Award (Young Adult Literature – 2016)

LA Times Book Prize (Finalist – Young Adult Literature – 2014)

Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee – Middle School – 2017)

The White Ravens (English / USA – 2015)

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction (Nominee – 2015)

Distinctions

NPR: Books We Love (2014)

Wisconsin Battle of the Books List (Elementary Division & Middle Division & Senior Division – 2016)

Notable Lists

40 New Feminist Classics You Should Read

The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve – 2015)

Book Links Lasting Connections (2014)

Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth (2014)

Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children and Teens (2015)

CCBC Choices (2015)

Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Kids (Informational Books for Older Readers – 2014)

El día de los niños / El día de los libros (6-8 – 2016)

Great Reads from Great Places (Ohio – 2015)

Just One More Page Recommendation List (2015)

NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People (2015)

NCTE/CLA Notable Children's Book in the English Language Arts (2015)

Nerdy Book Award (Long Form Nonfiction – 2014)

New York Public Library Best Books: For Kids (Nonfiction – 2014)

New York Public Library Best Books: Mejores libros para pequeños (Ficción para grados intermedios – 2021)

Notable Book for a Global Society (2015)

Notable Children's Book (2015)

OYAN Book Rave (2015)

Read for a Lifetime (2018)

Reading Olympics (Middle School – 2024)

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2014)

Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List (Grades 5-8 – 2017)

UC Berkeley Summer Reading List (2021)

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▾Common Knowledge

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Canonical title

Brown Girl Dreaming

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2014-08-28

People/Characters

Important places

Columbus, Ohio, USA

Nelsonville, Ohio, USA

Greenville, South Carolina, USA

Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Hold fast to dreams/For if dreams die/Life is a broken-winged bird/That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams/For when dreams go/Life is a barren field/Frozen with snow.--Langston Hughes

Dedication

This book is for my family--past, present and future. With love.

First words

I am born on a Tuesday at University Hospital Columbus, Ohio, USA--a country caught between Black and White.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Paulsen, Nancy

Blurbers

Original language

English

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (1)

Brown Girl Dreaming

▾Book descriptions

Biography & Autobiography. Juvenile Nonfiction. Sociology. HTML:A New York Times Bestseller and National Book Award Winner

Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

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.

A National Book Award Winner
A Newbery Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Award Winner
Praise for Jacqueline Woodson:
Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery.�?��??The New York Times Book Revie

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