Brown Girl Dreaming

Written by Jacqueline Woodson

A young girl finds her voice amidst the echoes of Jim Crow and Civil Rights awakening.

5.5/7 Bookroo expert·4.2/5 Goodreads · 94,803 ratings

366 pages· 30,215 words· Est. 3.5 hour read· 990L

$12.99Save 4%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In the 1960s and 1970s, a young girl navigates life between South Carolina and New York, feeling caught between two worlds. Through evocative poetry, she captures the struggle of growing up African American during the Civil Rights era. Despite challenges with reading, her passion for storytelling ignites, leading her to discover her voice. Each poem offers a glimpse into her journey of self-discovery and resilience, as she seeks her place in a divided world. Will she find where she truly belongs?

From the publisher

In vivid poems that reflect the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, an award-winning author shares what it was like to grow up in the 1960s and 1970s in both the North and the South.

Awards

Coretta Scott King Award (2015)Newbery Honor (2015)Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor (2015)Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (2015)National Book Award for Young People's Literature (2014)The E.B. White Read Aloud Award (2015)

At a glance

Format
Pages: 366
Words: 30,215
Reading age: 10–13
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: 990L

Themes & topics

Books about activism Books about coming of age Books about prejudice and racism Books about Coretta Scott King Award Winners Books about Boston Globe-Horn Book Award

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.5

out of 7

5.5

“This was fantastic! It's a story/memoir told through poems, and it's interesting and eye-opening and beautiful. This would be a great book to read with a middle elementary school child and talk about together, or for an older elementary or middle school child to read on his or her own.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

The author