Piecing Me Together by Renée WatsonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book spent some time on display in my library last school year, and every time I passed it I couldn't help but look at the beautiful cover. As the interviewer in this great interview with author Kathleen Lane (https://soundcloud.com/user-419678114...) confesses, I totally judge books by their covers, at least to the extent that a beautiful cover hooks me. I finally decided I had to made time to check out the contents of the book after a librarian friend shared her review.
Renee Watson's text (and her reading in this audiobook version) is just as beautiful as the cover as she shares the story of Jade, a young woman learning to use her voice. Watson deftly depicts Jade's relationship with her mother, her mentor Maxine, her teachers, and her friends Sam and Lele (hope I'm spelling that right, but I don't have the text!) with depth and nuance. No one person is perfect and no relationship is perfect, but each person and relationship feels real and valuable for Jade. All of the characters experience dynamic growth. I found myself rooting for Jade, yelling at her in frustration sometimes as she struggled with speaking up, crying as she tried to share her truth with her white friend Sam. Watson had me looking up artists and poets, too, and I appreciated the rich references in the book.
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