Brown Girl Dreaming facts for kids
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| Author | Jacqueline Woodson |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature, Poetry, Autobiography |
| Publisher | Penguin Group |
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Publication date
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August 28, 2014 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 0399252517 |
Brown Girl Dreaming is a special book written by Jacqueline Woodson. It came out in 2014. This book is a novel told in verse, which means it's like a long poem that tells a story. It shares the author's own childhood memories. Jacqueline grew up as an African American girl in the 1960s. Her story takes place in both South Carolina and New York. The book won many important awards. These include the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Coretta Scott King Book Award, and an NAACP Image Award.
Contents
What is Brown Girl Dreaming About?
Jacqueline's Early Life
Jacqueline was born on February 12, 1963. She was born in Columbus, Ohio. Her father's name was Jack, and she was named after him. Jackie spent her first year in the North. But her mother, Mary Ann, often visited her own parents. These visits were to the South. Her grandparents, Grandpa Gunnar and Grandma Georgiana, lived in Greenville, South Carolina.
The area where her grandparents lived was segregated. This meant Black and white people were kept separate. Jackie did not understand why things were this way. Her parents had different feelings about the South. This caused arguments between them. Eventually, Jackie's parents separated. Mary Ann and her three children moved South. They went to live with Grandpa Gunnar and Grandma Georgiana.
Life in South Carolina
Jackie grew to love Greenville. Even though racism and segregation were present, it felt like home. Her grandparents believed in peaceful actions for civil rights. They knew that doing what was right would be blessed.
Some white people in Greenville were kind. They treated Jackie and her family with respect. One example was the owner of the local laundromat. She had known Grandma Georgiana for many years.
Mary Ann, however, wanted to move back North. She traveled to New York City to get settled. Jackie and her siblings stayed with their grandparents. They enjoyed their time there. Later, Mary Ann came back for her children. She brought a new baby boy named Roman with her. The family moved in with Mary Ann's sister, Aunt Kay. But Aunt Kay passed away, and the family of five was left on their own.
New York and Growing Up
In New York, Jackie became best friends with a girl named Maria. Maria was from Puerto Rico. Jackie also decided she wanted to be a writer. Her teacher encouraged her to write.
Every summer, Jackie and her siblings went back to South Carolina. They visited their grandparents. Each time, Grandpa Gunnar seemed sicker. He was a heavy smoker. Around this time, Jackie and Maria became interested in Angela Davis. She was part of the Black Panther movement. They tried to be like Angela. But they didn't fully understand the big changes she was involved in.
Not long after, Grandpa Gunnar died from cancer. Grandma Georgiana then moved to New York. She came to be with Mary Ann and her grandchildren.
Awards and Recognition
Brown Girl Dreaming has won many important awards. These awards show how special the book is.
- National Book Award for Young People's Literature
- Coretta Scott King Award
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Young Adult Fiction
- Newbery Honor Book
