home

=Jacqueline Woodson =

**Introduction**

Jacqueline Woodson is an American author who has written over 20 books for both young adults and children since the late 1990's. She has written come critically-acclaimed picture books but is best known for juvenile and young adult literature. Most of her writing revolves around the themes of the African-experience throughout history,socioeconomic status, abuse, and issues surrounding identity particularly gender and sexual identity.

She earned a B.A. in English from Adelphi University and has since been writing professionally for close to twenty years. In that time, she has been awarded the Newberry Honor Medal, a Caldecott Honor, the Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, the Coretta Scott King Honor and a number of American Library Association (ALA) distinctions. Although originally from Columbus, Ohio she lives and writes from her home in Brooklyn, New York.

Best Work
Woodson, Jacqueline. (2000). //Miracle's Boys//. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

This is one of the first novels by Woodson to gain critical acclaim and shows her beginning to come into her own as an author. It is a young adult novel that focuses on three brothers who must overcome growing up together as orphans. It won the Coretta Scott King Award in 2001.

Woodson, Jacqueline. (2002). //Hush//. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Hush is a novel about a young girl whose family must enter the witness protection program after her father, a Black police officer, testifies against two White police officers in the murder trial of a young, Black boy. This novel is perhaps one of her most well-known works. It was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 2003 as well as a National Book Award nominee.

Woodson, Jacqueline. (2004). //Coming On Home Soon//. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

//Coming On Home Soon// is the World War II-era story of a young girl named Ada Ruth who must stay behind with her grandmother when her mother takes a job in Chicago. This book is one of her children's books that is representative of her style in the genre.

Woodson, Jacqueline. (2005). //Show Way//. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

//Show Way// is a children's book that chronicles multiple generations of women in an African-American family from slavery to the present day as they pass on the skill of sewing quilts as strong and meaningful family tradition in the face of adversity. It won a Newberry Honor Medal.

Woodson, Jacqueline. (2007). //Feathers//. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

//Feathers// is a juvenile fiction about a young girl named Frannie in the 1970's who struggles to find her own sense of hope amid coping with a fearful mother and a brother who is deaf. This book won the Newberry Honor Medal as well.

Biographical Information
Woodson, Jacqueline. (2010). //My Biography//. Retrieved from []


 * This is the author's website. It provides personal background information about her life, her inspiration, and her current work in progress.

Scholastic. (2009). //Jacqueline Woodson Biography//. Retrieved from []


 * This site gives a brief profile description of the author and information about her work.

Rockman, Connie J. (2000). Jacqueline Woodson. //8th Book of Junior Authors & Illustrators//. New York, NY: The H.W. Wilson Company.


 * This source is a collection of biographical information about various junior authors and illustrators.

Teen Reads. (2007). //Author Profile: Jacqueline Woodson//. Retrieved from []


 * This site also provides general biographical information about the author and a little more insight into her inspiration for more current work.

Autobiographical Information
Woodson, Jacqueline. (Author).(2010).//A Video Interview With Jacqueline Woodson//. [Web]. Retrieved from []


 * This is a recorded video interview with the author in which she discusses the inspiration for work and the process of writing multiple books at one time.

LiveWorld. (2003). //Author Chat With Jacqueline Woodson//. [Web]. Retrieved from []


 * This is a transcript of an author chat with Jacqueline Woodson with the New York Public Library. She discusses some of her favorite books among other topics.

TeachingBooks. (2007). //Jacqueline Woodson: Author Program In-Depth Interview//. [Web] Retrieved from []


 * This source is an interview with Jacqueline Woodson in her home. They discuss //Miracle's Boys// and wining the Coretta Scott King Award among other topics.

Critical/ Professional Information
Jones, Plummer Alston. (2009). {Peace Locomotion}. MultiCultural Review,18(3), 81-2. Retrieved from the Education FullText Database.


 * This is a review of Woodson's book, //Peace Locomotion//.

Hepperman, Christina. M. (2004). { Behind You}. The Horn Book, 80(3), 338. Retrieved from the Education FullText Database.


 * This is a review of her book, //Behind You//.

Scapple, Sharon Marie. (2005). {Jacqueline Woodson: "The Real Thing," and Virginia Euwer Wolff: Capture the Music of Young Voices}. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 30(2), 219-21.


 * This is a journal article comparing Woodson's work with that of another children's author Virginia Euwer Wolff.

Casement, Rose. (2003). { Jacqueline Woodson: Real Characters, Real Voices}. Language Arts, 81(1), 80-3.


 * This is a journal article discussing the depth and realistic nature of Woodson's characters and the themes of her books.

Curriculum Connection(s)
Napoli, Mary. (2009). Using Jacqueline Woodson's "Locomotion" with Middle School Readers. //Voices From the Middle,// 6(3), 31-9.


 * This is a NCTE (National Council for Teachers of English) journal article about using one of Woodson's books in a middle school classroom.

EdHelper. (2008). //Feather Literature Unit//. Retrieved from []


 * This is a literature unit on her book //Feather//. It includes lesson plans, discussion guides, and extension activities.

Taylor, Deborah. (2010). //The Books of Jacqueline Woodson//. Retrieved from []


 * This is a reading guide for many of her books that includes a discussion guide and other similar resources.

Shaw, Sara D. (2010). //Guided Comprehension: Visualizing Using the Sketch-to Stretch Strategy//. Retrieved from []


 * This is a lesson plan that uses her children's book, //The Other Side//, and other similar titles.

Personal Opinion
Jacqueline Woodson is a very talented author who has the ability to write great and meaningful books for both children and young adults. She often takes risks in her work when she chooses to write about controversial issues but her approach seems to resonate with her loyal readers. I think her work is so compelling because she puts so much of herself and her personal experiences as an adolescent into her work This makes her work something that her readers can relate to in a substantial way.