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!

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.