JACQUELINE

WOODSON
A study of Jacqueline Woodsons work as an
author
Decker Dunlop
Mrs. Humphreys, Reading 291

Representation
Matters
When I was a young writer I
didnt see books about people
like me. I didnt see books about
my neighborhood, or my family,
or people who look like me I
thought this must not be a story
worth telling. And as I got older I
thought, well, this is my work, to
put these stories on the page
-Jacqueline Woodson in an interview for
NBCs Writers Speak

MEET THE AUTHOR

A brief introduction to the life of Jacqueline Woodson

 Born February 12, 1964 in Columbus, OH

Graduated from Goddard College with a Masters of Fine Art
First book published in 1990 (Last Summer with Maizon)
Associate professor at Goddard College, Eugene Lang College,
and Vermont College from 1993 to 1996
Contributes to anthologies discussing her lesbianism (Afrekete:
An Anthology of Black Lesbian Writing, Go the Way Your Heart
Beats, The Letter Q: Queer Writers Notes to Their Younger
Selves)
As of this year, Woodson has written over 29 books for children
and young adults
Started a 2 year term advising the Poetry Foundation as The
Young Peoples Poet Laureate beginning in June of 2015
Lives with her wife and two children in Brooklyn, NY
Literary influences: James Baldwin, Tony Morrison, Virginia
Hamilton

Advice for
Young Writers:
Overcome ones fear by
learning to be ok with putting
your story out on the page
Read from the genre trying to
write in
Tell self that no one will ever
read the first draft
Write as often as possible
know that everybody has a
story

Woodsons
Process:

Prefers to write either in Brooklyn parks or by

Cape Cod

Draws heavily from her own background in order

to craft new stories

Works on multiple books simultaneously in order

to avoid writers block

Writes stories in order to provide representation

for the marginalized

Picture Books
This Is the Rope, illustrations by James Ransome
Each Kindness, illustrations by EB Lewis
Pecan Pie Baby, illustrations by Sophie Blackall
Coming on Home Soon, illustrations by EB Lewis
We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past, illustrations by
Diane Greenseid
The Other Side, illustrations by EB Lewis
Sweet, Sweet Memory, illustrations by Floyd Cooper
Our Gracie Aunt, illustrations by Jon Muth
Show Way, illustrations by Hudson Talbott
Visiting Day, illustrations by James Ransome

Middle Grade Books

Brown Girl Dreaming
Between Madison and Palmetto
Maizon at Blue Hill
Last Summer with Maizon
Locomotion
Peace Locomotion
Feathers
After Tupac and D Foster

Young Adult Novels

Beneath a Meth Moon
Hush
If You Come Softly
Behind You
Miracles Boys
From the Notebooks of Melanin
Sun
I Hadnt Meant to Tell You This
Lena
The House You Pass on the Way
The Dear One
Autobiography of a Family Photo

~Winner of the Margaret A.

Edwards Lifetime Achievement
Coretta Scott King Award: Miracles Boys, Brown Girl Dreaming
Award~

Coretta Scott King Honor Books: From the Notebooks of Melanin

Sun, Each Kindness, Locomotion, I Hadnt Meant to Tell You This
Caldecott Honor Book: Coming on Home Soon
Newberry Honor Books: Brown Girl Dreaming, After Tupac and D
Foster, Feathers, Show Way
National Book Award Finalist: Hush
National Book Award Winner: Brown Girl Dreaming

Themes Present in Woodsons Work

Championing the Marginalized: Woodson finds it incredibly
valuable to tell stories about individuals in communities whose stories
are infrequently told. Examples include depiction of a father in jail
(Visiting Day), different types of families (Our Gracie Aunt, Coming on
Home Soon, After Tupac and D Foster), as well as LGBT individuals
(From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun, The Dear One, The House You
Pass on the Way).
Autobiographical Content: Woodson draws heavily from her own
experiences when writing. Some of her young adult titles like Brown
Girl Dreaming and Last Summer With Maizon draw very heavily from
Woodsons childhood, while some of her picture books like Show Way
and This is the Rope draw from Woodsons family history.
Celebrating Black Culture: Woodson also takes the opportunity to
celebrate black culture, giving young African American children the
opportunity to see their families traditions and households reflected
(This is the Rope, We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past, Show Way).

Themes Continued
Discussing Racism: Woodson also takes the opportunity to discuss racism in
both modern and historical contexts. She rarely offers judgement, instead
choosing to examine situations that are deeply impacted by racism. Primary
examples include Hush, a story of a family moved into witness protection after
their father witnesses a fellow cop shoot an unarmed black man, and If You
Come Softly, which tells the story of an interracial relationship that ends in
tragedy when the young African American boyfriend is shot in the back by
police. (Show Way, I Hadnt Meant to Tell You This, Feathers, The Other Side,)
Coming of Age/Metamorphosis: (Hush, If You Come Softly, Locomotion,
Miracles Boys, Autobiography of a Family Photo, Beneath a Meth Moon,
Feathers, Each Kindness) Woodson likes to show changes in her books, whether
that change be physical or emotional. Hush in particular shows young Toswiah
as stripped of much of her identity when her family goes into witness
protection; it takes time for her to adjust and begin to forgive her father for
moving the family. Locomotion also shows a young boys growth through
poetry.

DISCUSSING
ADOLESCENCE
Jacqueline Woodson in an interview with
NPRs Talk of the Nation in 2004

Woodsons Writing Style

Woodson incorporates poetic language into all types of her
writing, including picture books. As a poet, many of her picture
books can also stand alone as poems.
Woodson tends to include deeply descriptive passages
discussing the landscape or setting in her middle grade and
young adult books.

Discussion Points in the

If You Come Softly
Classroom

What role does race take for Jeremiah? How do we understand his
conversation with Ellie in which he tells her he never forgets his blackness?

What draws Ellie and Jeremiah together?

What influence do their individual families have upon Jeremiah and Ellie?

*Take opportunity to introduce Audre Lordes poetry, including the full text of her
original poem If You Come Softly

Show Way

What role does quilting play in the story? Describe where you see quilts
present in the story.

How many generations are present in the story? How are they connected?

Role of rhythm and repetition in Show Way (drawing from oral traditions).

*Take opportunity to discuss the Underground Railroad and the different methods
African American slaves used to pass along knowledge of known routes.

Works Cited
Conan, Neal. "Writers' Views: Adolescence."Talk of the Nation. NPR, n.d. Web.
30 Nov. 2015.
Gross, Terry. "Jacqueline Woodson On Growing Up, Coming Out And Saying Hi
To Strangers."Fresh Air. NPR, 10 Dec. 2014. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
"Jacqueline Woodson's Biography."Scholastic: Teachers. Scholastic Inc., n.d.
Web. 28 November 2015.
"Woodson, Jacqueline."Who's Who Among African Americans. 19th ed.
Detroit: Gale, 2006. 1381.Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.
Woodson, Jacqueline, and Anne Hays. "Jacqueline Woodson: Books for
Children and Young Adults."Jacqueline Woodson. Mann Design, n.d. Web. 30
Nov. 2015.
"Woodson, Jacqueline (1964-)."Major 21st-Century Writers. Ed. Tracey
Matthews and Tracey Watson. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 2005.Gale Virtual
Reference Library. Web. 30 Nov. 2015

Images
All images incorporated under Fair Use guidelines. This PowerPoint
is not to be reproduced or used outside of this classroom.
http://jacquelinewoodson.tumblr.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Miracles-Boys-Jacqueline-Woodson/dp/0142415537
http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/hush/
https://regularrumination.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/if-you-come-softly.jpeg
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/262471.Coming_on_Home_Soon
http://ecx.imagesamazon.com/images/I/51RedpS91mL._SX407_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1583449.After_Tupac_and_D_Foster
http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424308405l/20821284.jpg
http://smithsonianapa.org/bookdragon/locomotion-by-jacqueline-woodson/
http://library.sc.edu/zellatest/woodson/poetry.html
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/289992/show-way-by-jacquelinewoodson-illustrated-by-hudson-talbott/9780399237492/
http://www.amazon.com/Each-Kindness-Addams-Award-Awards/dp/0399246525