Remember Us

Remember Us

Jacqueline Woodson

Nancy Paulsen/Penguin, 2023

178 pages

Grades 5-7

Realistic/Historical Fiction

Short chapters and lyrical writing captures the reminiscences of Sage, a rising seventh grader experiencing a pivotal summer in her beloved neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn. It is the 1970's and much of Bushwick is on fire, earning the nickname of "The Matchbook". As Sage goes through her summer playing basketball with her friends the constant background noise of sirens keeps everyone on high alert. A new boy moves to the neighborhood and Freddy and Sage become instant friends, supporting each other and sharing the love of basketball. This is the summer that Sage begins to question if its okay to want to hang out with the boys and play basketball instead of hopscotch with the girls. When an older boy calls her gender into question and steals her deceased father's basketball, she starts to feel "less than" and begins to fade away. A supportive mother, Freddy, and a neighborhood tragedy recalibrate Sage and she emerges more sure of herself and ready to embrace being who she is and doing what she loves. As the summer winds down Mom has some devastating news. Sage begins seventh grade in a place in which she didn't imagine living, yet pushes through, makes new friends, and continues her journey.

I am a huge fan of the writing of Jacqueline Woodson. She is one of those authors that is super intentional and every word included counts. This new book I particularly enjoyed because it harkens back to my childhood. Though I did not grow up in Brooklyn, there were enough references that made me feel as if I was back in the 1970's on a hot summer day with a popsicle dripping down my arm. Although the story is written as a narrative, it feels almost like poetry, much like the author's Brown Girl Dreaming, and is also semi-autobiographical. Themes such as overcoming gender norms, the importance of community, finding friends who get you, being true to yourself, and mourning the loss of a parent are prevalent within the pages. The format is unconventional, the chapters are sometimes very short (there are 77 of them), and there is a lot of white space on the page, so this book reads quickly. Though it is relatively short, it is jam-packed with content and is meant to be savored. It would make an excellent read-aloud and would benefit from some adult context. There is an author's note at the end with some historical information, but I am not sure that young readers will make it there on their own. Though beautifully written, this is not a book that kids will understand or pick up to read. I think it is thoughtful adults who will make the best audience. It reminded me a bit of Spinelli's Hokey Pokey, a story written to capture a long-ago childhood and not something necessarily intended for consumption by today's youth.