The House You Pass on the Way

Reference: Woodson, Jacqueline. The House You Pass on the Way. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1997. 114p.

 In The House You Pass on the Way, Jacqueline Woodson brings to life a 14 year-old named Staggerlee who is going through a difficult time during her adolescence. Between making friends, fitting in with her family, and understanding who she is, Staggerlee narrates the story of her life, a story that seems to lack uniqueness and depth at the beginning.  But as we continue, we learn that she is not only biracial, but is a part of the only biracial family in her small town of Sweet Gum.   She has also recently discovered her attraction to girls, which has caused her to isolate herself amongst her classmates.  This all changes when her 14 year-old cousin, Trout, comes to stay with her family over the summer.  She has never met her adopted cousin because Staggerlee’s dad’s family was completely opposed to him marrying a white woman, and basically disowned him when he did.  But when his sister dies, they are forced to take notice of the important things in life, and the time they have wasted not living it to the fullest.  Throughout the summer, Trout and Staggerlee become very close as they discuss plans for high school, hardships at home, and the pressure to act and be a “normal” girl.  In the end, Staggerlee is optimistic about the future, even though she is not quite sure what is in store for her. 

This book really develops themes and ideas that any 8^th or 9^th grade student could relate to.  The transition from middle school to high school is a huge step, and the struggles and hopes associated with this transition are well represented in the novel.  Even though homosexuality and being biracial aren’t identities that most students can relate to, there is so much more to the story than that.  The struggle to discover who you are and where you fit into the world is the most significant  thing, and that is something students can really identify with.  The book does not have very difficult vocabulary and is about 100 pages long, so it would be a quick and eye-opening read that could elicit exciting conversations in the classroom.