MASL Book Trailer Winner
Piecing Me Together – Hannah M. from Heritage Middle School
About the Author
Author Renée Watson was inspired to write Piecing Me Together by the complex and complicated relationships she had with women growing up (daughter, friend, mentor, mentee, teacher) and by a 2014 NAACP report, "Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call to Action for Educational Equity." The NAACP report reflected many of her own experiences growing up. Through her writing, she explores the pervasiveness of stereotypes and how they adversely impact the education experiences of African American girls. In Piecing Me Together, Jade navigates the dichotomies of the two worlds in which she participates: her neighborhood and her school, as well as the complexities of giving and receiving, mentor and mentee, black and white. Jade mentions feeling just fine when she is home with her family, but that when she goes out into the world, she is sometimes broken into a million pieces. Through her art, Jade pieces her life together, trying to keep from coming undone.
Renée Watson is the founder of I, Too, Arts Collective, a nonprofit committed to nurturing underrepresented voices in the creative arts. She lives in New York City.
About the Book
Awards & honors:
2018 Coretta Scott King Author Award
2018 Newbery Honor
A School Library Journal Best Books of 2017
Kirkus Reviews’ Best Teen Books of 2017
Chicago Public Library’s Best Books of 2017
New York Public Library’s Best Teen Book of the Year (2017)
Reviews:
"Jade’s narrative voice offers compelling reflections on the complexities of race and gender, class and privilege, and fear and courage, while conveying the conflicted emotions of an ambitious, loyal girl. Teeming with compassion and insight, Watson’s story trumpets the power of artistic expression to re-envision and change the world." - starred review, Publishers Weekly
"Through Jade's insightful and fresh narration, Watson presents a powerful story that challenges stereotypes about girls with 'coal skin and hula-hoop hips' who must contend with the realities of racial profiling and police brutality. . . . A timely, nuanced, and unforgettable story about the power of art, community, and friendship." - starred review, Kirkus Reviews
"This unique and thought-provoking title offers a nuanced meditation on race, privilege, and intersectionality." - starred review, School Library Journal
"A balancing act between class, race, and social dynamics, with Watson constantly undercutting stereotypes and showing no fear in portraying virtues along with vices. The book’s defiance of a single-issue lens will surely inspire discussion and consideration." - Booklist
Interviews & Discussions:
Resources / Teaching Ideas
English/Language Arts:
Piecing Me Together: A YA Discussion Guide about Race, Class, Gender, and Intersectionality
Social Justice Books: A Teaching for Change Guide
Piecing Me Together: A Discussion Guide--Bloomsbury: file:///C:/Users/Staff/AppData/Local/Temp/Piecing%20Me%20Together%20Guide.pdf
“Read Woke” Panel: Validating Girls’ Voices and Experiences (SLJ Summit 2018)
Interview: Renée Watson on YA Novel “Piecing Me Together” (Feb. 7, 2017)
Teaching “Black Lives Matter” | SLJ Talks to Educator, Author Renée Watson (Dec. 9, 2014)
Social Studies/Political Science:
Intersectionality refers to the social, economic, and political ways in which identity-based systems of oppression and privilege connect, overlap, and influence one another (Teaching Tolerance, 2016).
Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call to Action for Educational Equity.
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