Hush

Woodson, Jacqueline. Hush. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2002. 

Hush, by Jacqueline Woodson, is a perfect read for a more advanced junior high student. A definite deep-thinking book, Hush has themes of depression, racism, cliques, isolation, and family disharmony. Toswiah is twelve when her dad witnesses two white policemen gun down an unarmed black teenager and their family is relocated into the Witness Protection Program. Her whole life is turned upside down; Toswiah becomes Evie, leaves her friends behind and is thrust into a new town, school, and unwelcoming environment. While her parents argue, her father spirals into depression, her mother goes into a religious frenzy, and her older sister lives a pretense of the perfect life, Evie is left to fend for herself. The story is eventually resolved and the family, though still recovering from the damages, is whole once again.

This book is most appropriate for an 8^th Grade classroom, due to some more intense themes. Though the protagonist is a girl, Hush may be taught to a co-ed classroom as the Witness Protection Program is an interesting theme to boys as well. There are multiple passages that will foster good classroom discussions and opportunities for corresponding research projects about racism and current events. Hush is attractive to parents as well due to its focus on acceptance and truth. Certainly a book to consider for your future classroom!