I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This

Jacqueline Woodson

In Chauncey, Ohio, there is a prominent black side of town and a poor white side of town. The children of Chauncey know where they belong and not to challenge the social norm. Marie, a popular black girl, shuns the new white girl Lena Bright. By some twist of fate, these two unlikely friends become inseparable. Their common bond: each can keep a secret. When Lena reveals her secret, Marie is placed between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Should she tell Lena’s secret with the hopes of rescuing her new friend, or does she keep Lena’s secret keeping her promise?

Woodson’s tale is simple, but addresses many advanced themes and issues. Middle school students (6^th and 7^th grade) would have no problem reading this. My only hesitation would be parents’ reactions to learning that their children are reading/learning about sexual abuse. Despite this potential hurdle, this book is a beautiful jumpstart to talking about accepting others (especially those of different backgrounds). I would expect that one could have in-depth discussions about secrets, abuse, bullying, acceptance, and middle school issues without much prompting. Because the characters are in middle school, students should have no issue connecting with the situation.