The following version of the book was used to create this study guide: Watson, Renee, Piecing Me Together. Bloomsbury YA, New York, New York, 2017. Kindle AZW file. Jade is a junior at St. Francis High School, an exclusive school for wealthy students where the study body is predominately white. Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson has been reviewed by Focus on the Family's marriage and parenting magazine. Plot Summary Jade, a high school junior, lives in a poor, black neighborhood in Portland, Oregon.
Piecing Me Together Summary Next. In some ways, Jade feels like she must leave her neighborhood in order to succeed: she buses out of her North. Piecing Me Together. The title of the book, Piecing Me Together, is a symbol of how the main character, Jade, is struggling to find out who she really is and how she fits into the world. The title is taken from a poem that includes the line, 'piecing me back together.' In that poem, the writer is trying to overcome tragedy to piece herself.
Piecing Me Together
Renée Watson
Bloomsbury
Published February 14, 2017
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
Jade believes the only way she'll find success is to get out of her neighborhood. That's why she accepts a scholarship to a privileged, mostly white school. It's why she puts her studies first—no time for boys, no time for goofing around. As a girl from a poor neighborhood, Jade knows she must appreciate the opportunities that come her way, even those that treat her as less-than. When she joins a mentorship program meant to help 'at-risk' (read: black) girls, Jade's frustration mounts. How is her so-called mentor supposed to teach her anything when she doesn't have her own life together? How are the group's pointless activities supposed to change anything for her?
As Jade wrestles with the injustices in her life, she begins to realize the only way things will change is for her to find her own voice, to speak up, and challenge the people around her. Her courage and vulnerability make her story deeply moving and accessible. When she shares her experiences with racism with a white friend, at one point her friend sort of shrugs and says, 'I don't know what you want me to say.' Jade's ability to articulate this response—support me, believe me, she tells her friend—opens conversation and dialogue about race relations issues.
Overall, this is a rich story. Though Jade's experiences may be different than some readers, it's easy to connect with her, to love her, and to understand how she feels and why. It's easy to cheer for her victories, as a young woman and an artist. I loved that she's a collagist, and I loved the way her art was a key component of the story. I loved the way history (the story relates some information about York, an African American man who traveled with Lewis and Clark) and poetry played a key role in the story as well.
I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction or novels about art and friendship.
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy contemporary fiction or novels about art and friendship.
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Cultural Elements
Jade, her family, and her best friend Lee Lee are African American. Her mentor comes from a wealthy African American family. Her friend Sam is a white girl being raised by her grandparents. Jade is studying Spanish hoping for an opportunity to travel in an educational program. Each chapter begins with a Spanish word translated to English.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
Jade attends a meeting with her mentorship group that focuses on dating and relationships. She's not interested in either one, and the conversation stays pretty vague.
Spiritual Content
Jade comes home to her mom listening to gospel music and cleaning. Following a terrible event, Jade asks her uncle to say a prayer. He calls prayer a 'poor man's drug,' and tells Jade the person she needs to be talking to isn't God but politicians who can make changes. Jade prays anyway.
Violent Content
Four police officers beat up an unarmed fifteen-year-old black girl when they break up a party. Jade and her friend hear about it on the news, but feel shaken up.
Drug Content
None.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
| Author | Renée Watson |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Bloomsbury USA |
Publication date | February 14, 2017 |
| Pages | 264 |
| Awards | Coretta Scott King Award Newbery Medal |
| ISBN | 978-1-68119-105-8 |
| OCLC | 948336456 |
Piecing Me Together is a 2017 children's book by Renée Watson. The first person novel tells the story of Jade, an ambitious African American high school student. The book was well reviewed and won several awards.
Plot[edit]
Jade, who is also the book's narrator, is a sixteen-year-old African American student attending a mostly white private school in Portland, Oregon on a scholarship. Heeding her mother's advice, Jade works to take advantage of every opportunity presented to her. Hoping to be afforded the opportunity to study abroad so she can utilize her fluent Spanish Skills, Jade is instead offered the chance to be paired with a mentor in the Women to Women program by her school's guidance counselor. Paired with Maxine, Jade initially has high hopes for this mentor-ship, hopes which are dashed when Maxine proves unreliable and Jade begins to wonder if it is she or Maxine who is getting more out of the program. Through her art, Jade begins to act on the realization that she needs to make her own opportunities.
Reception and awards[edit]
The book was well reviewed including starred reviews by The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,[1]Kirkus Reviews, which also named it a best book of 2017,[2] and School Library Journal, which also named it a best book of 2017.[3][4]
The book was recognized by the American Library Association at the 2018 Youth Media Awards. Watson was awarded the Coretta Scott King Author Award; in her acceptance speech Watson thanked the award committee for, 'bring visibility to black characters who are bold and brave, beautiful and brilliant.'[5]Piecing Me Together was also named a Newbery Honor book with the award committee citing its, 'Through artful and poetic language, Watson explores themes of race, class, gender and body image in this dynamic journey.'[6]Bank Street College of Education also recognized the novel with its Josette Frank Award.[7]
References[edit]
- ^Stevenson, D. (2017). Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson (review).Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 70(8), 384. Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved December 1, 2018, from Project MUSE database.
- ^PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renée Watson | Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus. November 2, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^Anderson, Kristin (January 12, 2017). 'Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson | SLJ Review'. School Library Journal. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^Journal, School Library. 'School Library Journal | Best of 2017'. School Library Journal. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^Watson, Renee (June 28, 2018). '2018 CSK Author Award Acceptance by Renée Watson'. The Horn Book. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^'John Newbery Medal | Awards & Grants'. www.ala.org. Archived from the original on April 16, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^'Awards - Bank Street College of Education'. Bank Street College of Education. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
Piecing Me Together Summary Sparknotes
