PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renee Watson

PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renee Watson is a must-read book in my opinion and I do not say that very often.  I kept wishing that our students could meet the main character, Jade, and have a frank conversation with her. Reading her thoughts in PIECING ME TOGETHER will prompt much discussion about racial and class stereotypes, about the nature of friendship, and empathy for others and their history.  Jade is a talented artist and high school student at [she says] “the best private school in Portland, which means it’s mostly white, which means it’s expensive.”

Jade is often torn between her neighborhood friend, Lee Lee, and a new schoolmate, Sam, neither of whom can fully appreciate the other’s world.  At times, Jade struggles with self-acceptance, perseverance, and forging a relationship with a mentor, Maxine, a young black woman from a more affluent background.  Jade has to learn to speak up for herself; even telling Maxine, “sometimes you make me feel like you’ve come to fix me; only, I don’t feel broken.”  

PIECING ME TOGETHER would be a great book group for teachers/students and mentors/mentees like those at Link Unlimited in Chicago to read and discuss together. Similarly, art teachers could incorporate a unit featuring the collages of Romare Bearden or art by Mickalene Thomas, both of whom are mentioned in PIECING ME TOGETHER.   If you wish to start reading an excerpt or see more well-deserved praise for Renee Watson’s novel, check out the publisher’s site. PIECING ME TOGETHER received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

New Trier’s All School Seminar Day is coming next Tuesday and some of my colleagues will be talking about diverse books.  Here are the images and titles of a few that are due to be published in 2017. We will publish reviews and more suggestions soon.  

American Street by Ibi Zoboi; The Education of Margot Sanchez by Lilliam Rivera; When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi; Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson; Flame in the Mist by Renée Adieh.