A review by readerpants
After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson
5.0
My favorite of Jacqueline Woodson's chapter books, by far. Beautifully written, thoughtful, and -- what really makes me prefer this to her other books -- swimming in complicated real-life situations without becoming too issue-driven.
My favorite thing about this book is that it feels very much written for a younger audience despite topics that are normally reserved for didactic picture books or teen readers: it addresses injustice, prison, homophobia, racism, the foster care system, and other issues that touch families and affect many of my urban kids, but maintains a voice and perspective that's warm, loving, righteous, and utterly age-appropriate for 9-11 year old readers. It's beautifully written and avoids overly lyrical phrasing, something that I think often gets mistaken for good writing for children. I wouldn't recommend this as an insightful or gritty read for a teen, and I think even older middle-schoolers wouldn't really identify with the girls' lack of rebellion... the main characters are young, sheltered, mostly observing rather than acting, and not yet arguing with their protective mothers. (The exception of course is D, whose hard-knock life has resulted in an impressive, if unrealistic, level of maturity that allows her to offer timely insights.)
I'd love to see this in 5th grade book clubs, as a classroom read-aloud, and absolutely as a book on tape, maybe with some actual Tupac thrown in. I'd also be happy to see it win the Newbery... I think it's a much, much stronger offering than last year's Newbery Honor [b: Feathers|272334|Feathers|Jacqueline Woodson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437018787s/272334.jpg|264041], and many of the Newbery speculations I've heard so far this year. A must-purchase for my K-5 library.
My favorite thing about this book is that it feels very much written for a younger audience despite topics that are normally reserved for didactic picture books or teen readers: it addresses injustice, prison, homophobia, racism, the foster care system, and other issues that touch families and affect many of my urban kids, but maintains a voice and perspective that's warm, loving, righteous, and utterly age-appropriate for 9-11 year old readers. It's beautifully written and avoids overly lyrical phrasing, something that I think often gets mistaken for good writing for children. I wouldn't recommend this as an insightful or gritty read for a teen, and I think even older middle-schoolers wouldn't really identify with the girls' lack of rebellion... the main characters are young, sheltered, mostly observing rather than acting, and not yet arguing with their protective mothers. (The exception of course is D, whose hard-knock life has resulted in an impressive, if unrealistic, level of maturity that allows her to offer timely insights.)
I'd love to see this in 5th grade book clubs, as a classroom read-aloud, and absolutely as a book on tape, maybe with some actual Tupac thrown in. I'd also be happy to see it win the Newbery... I think it's a much, much stronger offering than last year's Newbery Honor [b: Feathers|272334|Feathers|Jacqueline Woodson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437018787s/272334.jpg|264041], and many of the Newbery speculations I've heard so far this year. A must-purchase for my K-5 library.