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Author Jacqueline Woodson on her new book, challenging stereotypes, ending mental health stigma

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Meet Jacqueline Woodson: The Kennedy Center’s next Education Artist-in-Residence

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If You Come Softly is about Jeremiah who is fifteen and black and Ellie who is fifteen and white. They meet at a private school and fall in love and then have to deal with how society treats them because they're an interracial couple. It was inspired by a poem by Audre Lorde that begins:
If you come softly
as the wind within the trees
you may hear what I hear
see what sorrow sees.
Where it takes place:

In the Washington Heights section of Manhattan

Where I wrote it:

Whidbey Island which is off the coast of Seattle, Washington and in Olivebridge, NY

Why I wrote it:

I wrote If You Come Softly because I wanted to write about first love-how hard it can be and how great it is. I also wanted to write about being fifteen because I remember that age very well. As I was writing it, I came across some lines from Romeo and Juliet and realized this story was a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. The enemies to Jeremiah and Ellie's love are racism, police brutality and people's general stupidity. I also wanted to write about Time-about how fleeting it is, how important it is to love who you want and be who you want in the moment so that you don't look back and think "I should have..." or "I could have..."

German language version of "If You Come Softly"

Awards

ALA Best Book for Young Adults

State Lists

Maryland (winner)

Virginia (winner)

ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Award Nominee (all readers)

2001 Detroit Public Library Author's Day Award

Categories Posted on Middle grade/Young adult titles

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If You Come Softly is about Jeremiah who is fifteen and black and Ellie who is fifteen and white. They meet at a private school and fall in love and then have to deal with how society treats them because they're an interracial couple.

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Look at why Woodson became a writer.

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Jacqueline Woodson Brown Girl Dreaming Author Video

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Jacqueline Woodson: What reading slowly taught me about writing | TED

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Jacqueline Woodson on “difficult” subjects in young people’s literature

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Chapter 9

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Marie, the only black girl in the eighth grade willing to befriend her white classmate Lena, discovers that Lena’s father is doing horrib...

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I love this book! I love all of Jacqueline Woodson's books! Beneath a Meth Moon is so raw and edgy. I've read it several times as it deals with substaI love this book! I love all of Jacqueline Woodson's books! Beneath a Meth Moon is so raw and edgy. I've read it several times as it deals with substance abuse which something that I needed to research in creative fiction. Tashanna Edwards...more (less)

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I love this book! I love all of Jacqueline Woodson's books! Beneath a Meth Moon is so raw and edgy. I've read it several times as it deals with substaI love this book! I love all of Jacqueline Woodson's books! Beneath a Meth Moon is so raw and edgy.

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Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson book trailer